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10.1088/0034-4885/79/4/046902 | Cosmological Tests Of Modified Gravity | We review recent progress in the construction of modified gravity models as alternatives to dark energy as well as the development of cosmological tests of gravity. Einstein's theory of General Relativity (GR) has been tested accurately within the local universe i. e. the Solar System, but this leaves the possibility open that it is not a good description of gravity at the largest scales in the Universe. This being said, the standard model of cosmology assumes GR on all scales. In 1998, astronomers made the surprising discovery that the expansion of the Universe is accelerating, not slowing down. This late-time acceleration of the Universe has become the most challenging problem in theoretical physics. Within the framework of GR, the acceleration would originate from an unknown dark energy. Alternatively, it could be that there is no dark energy and GR itself is in error on cosmological scales. In this review, we first give an overview of recent developments in modified gravity theories including $f(R)$ gravity, braneworld gravity, Horndeski theory and massive/bigravity theory. We then focus on common properties these models share, such as screening mechanisms they use to evade the stringent Solar System tests. Once armed with a theoretical knowledge of modified gravity models, we move on to discuss how we can test modifications of gravity on cosmological scales. We present tests of gravity using linear cosmological perturbations and review the latest constraints on deviations from the standard $\Lambda$CDM model. Since screening mechanisms leave distinct signatures in the non-linear structure formation, we also review novel astrophysical tests of gravity using clusters, dwarf galaxies and stars. | [
"Universe Sciences",
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter"
]
|
10.15252/msb.20167449 | High-throughput CRISPRi phenotyping identifies new essential genes in Streptococcus pneumoniae | Genome-wide screens have discovered a large set of essential genes in the opportunistic human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae. However, the functions of many essential genes are still unknown, hampering vaccine development and drug discovery. Based on results from transposon sequencing (Tn-seq), we refined the list of essential genes in S. pneumoniae serotype 2 strain D39. Next, we created a knockdown library targeting 348 potentially essential genes by CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) and show a growth phenotype for 254 of them (73%). Using high-content microscopy screening, we searched for essential genes of unknown function with clear phenotypes in cell morphology upon CRISPRi-based depletion. We show that SPD_1416 and SPD_1417 (renamed to MurT and GatD, respectively) are essential for peptidoglycan synthesis, and that SPD_1198 and SPD_1197 (renamed to TarP and TarQ, respectively) are responsible for the polymerization of teichoic acid (TA) precursors. This knowledge enabled us to reconstruct the unique pneumococcal TA biosynthetic pathway. CRISPRi was also employed to unravel the role of the essential Clp-proteolytic system in regulation of competence development, and we show that ClpX is the essential ATPase responsible for ClpP-dependent repression of competence. The CRISPRi library provides a valuable tool for characterization of pneumococcal genes and pathways and revealed several promising antibiotic targets. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
10.1111/nph.13852 | Viral infection of the marine alga Emiliania huxleyi triggers lipidome remodeling and induces the production of highly saturated triacylglycerol | Viruses that infect marine photosynthetic microorganisms are major ecological and evolutionary drivers of microbial food webs, estimated to turn over more than a quarter of the total photosynthetically fixed carbon. Viral infection of the bloom-forming microalga Emiliania huxleyi induces the rapid remodeling of host primary metabolism, targeted towards fatty acid metabolism. We applied a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based lipidomics approach combined with imaging flow cytometry and gene expression profiling to explore the impact of viral-induced metabolic reprogramming on lipid composition. Lytic viral infection led to remodeling of the cellular lipidome, by predominantly inducing the biosynthesis of highly saturated triacylglycerols (TAGs), coupled with a significant accumulation of neutral lipids within lipid droplets. Furthermore, TAGs were found to be a major component (77%) of the lipidome of isolated virions. Interestingly, viral-induced TAGs were significantly more saturated than TAGs produced under nitrogen starvation. This study highlights TAGs as major products of the viral-induced metabolic reprogramming during the host-virus interaction and indicates a selective mode of membrane recruitment during viral assembly, possibly by budding of the virus from specialized subcellular compartments. These findings provide novel insights into the role of viruses infecting microalgae in regulating metabolism and energy transfer in the marine environment and suggest their possible biotechnological application in biofuel production. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering"
]
|
641402 | Machine learning for scalable meteorology and climate | To develop Europe’s computer architecture of the future, MAELSTROM will co-design bespoke compute system designs for optimal application performance and energy efficiency, a software framework to optimise usability and training efficiency for machine learning at scale, and large-scale machine learning applications for the domain of weather and climate science.
The MAELSTROM compute system designs will benchmark the applications across a range of computing systems regarding energy consumption, time-to-solution, numerical precision and solution accuracy. Customised compute systems will be designed that are optimised for application needs to strengthen Europe’s high-performance computing portfolio and to pull recent hardware developments, driven by general machine learning applications, toward needs of weather and climate applications.
The MAELSTROM software framework will enable scientists to apply and compare machine learning tools and libraries efficiently across a wide range of computer systems. A user interface will link application developers with compute system designers, and automated benchmarking and error detection of machine learning solutions will be performed during the development phase. Tools will be published as open source.
The MAELSTROM machine learning applications will cover all important components of the workflow of weather and climate predictions including the processing of observations, the assimilation of observations to generate initial and reference conditions, model simulations, as well as post-processing of model data and the development of forecast products. For each application, benchmark datasets with up to 10 terabytes of data will be published online for training and machine learning tool-developments at the scale of the fastest supercomputers in the world. MAELSTROM machine learning solutions will serve as blueprint for a wide range of machine learning applications on supercomputers in the future. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Earth System Science"
]
|
10.1109/ICASSP.2019.8682709 | Light Field Denoising Using 4D Anisotropic Diffusion | In this paper, we present a novel light field denoising algorithm using a vector-valued regularization operating in the 4D ray space. More precisely, the method performs a PDE-based anisotropic diffusion along directions defined by local structures in the 4D ray space. It does not require prior estimation of disparity maps. The local structures in the 4D light field are extracted using a 4D tensor structure. The paper then describes the strategy retained for setting the diffusion tensor parameters for the targeted denoising application. It then analyzes the influence of the model parameters on the denoising performance. Experimental results show that the proposed denoising algorithm performs well compared to state of the art methods while keeping tractable complexity. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Mathematics"
]
|
10.1029/2012GC004086 | Modeling Evolution Of The San Andreas Fault System In Northern And Central California | [1] We present a three-dimensional finite element thermomechanical model idealizing the complex deformation processes associated with evolution of the San Andreas Fault system (SAFS) in northern and central California over the past 20 Myr. More specifically, we investigate the mechanisms responsible for the eastward (landward) migrationof the San Andreas plate boundary over time, a process thathas largely determined the evolution and present structure of SAFS. Two possible mechanisms had been previously suggested. One mechanism suggests that the Pacific plate first cools and captures uprising mantle in the slab window, subsequently causing accretion of the continental crustal blocks. An alternative scenario attributes accretion to the capture of plate fragments (microplates) stalled in the ceased Farallon-North America subduction zone. Here we test both these scenarios numerically using a recently developed lithospheric-scale code, SLIM3D, that employs free surface, nonlinear temperature- and stress-dependent elastoviscoplastic rheology and allows for self-generation of faults. Modeling suggests that microplate capture is the primary driving mechanism fortheeastwardmigrationoftheplateboundary,whiletheslabwindowcoolingmechanismaloneisincapable of explaining this phenomenon. We also show that the system evolves to the present day structure of SAFS only if the coefficient of friction at mature faults is low (0. 08 for the best fit model). Thus, our model provides an independent constraint supporting the “weak fault in a strong crust” hypothesis for SAFS. | [
"Earth System Science",
"Products and Processes Engineering"
]
|
W1572263773 | Antibacterial Activities of Bacterial Symbionts of Soft Coral Sinularia Sp. against Tuberculosis Bacteria | Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Although TB is a curable disease, it continues to
be one of the most important infectious causes of death worldwide. Indonesia ranks 3rd on the list of TB high
burden countries in the world with 86,000 cases deaths and the Multi Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR TB)
estimated cases in Indonesia is 10,000. This research was aimed to isolate and characterize of soft coral
Sinularia sp.-associated bacteria having antibacterial activity against Tuberculosis bacteria. There were
109 isolates collected from Sinularia sp. Two isolates from Sinularia sp.-associated bacteria, SC4TGZ3 and
SC4TGZ4 were successfully screened for antibacterial against Tuberculosis bacteria. SC4TGZ3 was found to
inhibit the growth of MDR TB strain HE, MDR TB strain SR and H37Rv. Whereas, SC4TGZ4 was found to
inhibit the growth of MDR TB strain HE. Based on PCR amplification 16S rDNA softcoral bacateria were
identified as follows: SC4TGZ3 was closely related to Pseudovibrio sp. and SC4TGZ4 was closely related to
Alpha proteobacterium sp | [
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
278469 | Simple locally compact groups: exploring the boundaries of the linear world | The theory of locally compact groups stretches out between two antipodes: on one hand, connected groups whose structure, according to the solution to Hilbert fifth problem, is governed by Lie theory and is thus relatively rigid, and on the other hand, discrete groups, which are subject to a spectacular variety of behaviours, going from the most stringent rigidity properties to the most intriguing pathological ones. The goal of this research program is to explore the wide space lying between these two extremes.
The entire program is built around two major open problems: performing an exhaustive study of compactly generated simple locally compact groups, and finding an algebraic characterization of those locally compact groups which are linear. Although these problems do not seem to be directly approachable given the current state of knowledge, they are nevertheless considered as guidelines suggesting a number of specific questions and conjectures which are envisaged in detail under various perspectives of algebraic, geometric, arithmetic and analytic nature. Each of these specific questions presents independent interest; answers to any of them will moreover provide insight into the guiding problems. | [
"Mathematics"
]
|
10.1016/j.sbi.2016.10.004 | Structure and elevator mechanism of the Na<sup>+</sup>-citrate transporter CitS | The recently determined crystal structure of the bacterial Na+-citrate symporter CitS provides unexpected structural and mechanistic insights. The protein has a fold that has not been seen in other proteins, but the oligomeric state, domain organization and proposed transport mechanism strongly resemble those of the sodium-dicarboxylate symporter vcINDY, and the putative exporters YdaH and MtrF, thus hinting at convergence in structure and function. CitS and the related proteins are predicted to translocate their substrates by an elevator-like mechanism, in which a compact transport domain slides up and down through the membrane while the dimerization domain is stably anchored. Here we review the large body of available biochemical data on CitS in the light of the new crystal structure. We show that the biochemical data are fully consistent with the proposed elevator mechanism, but also demonstrate that the current structural data cannot explain how strict coupling of citrate and Na+ transport is achieved. We propose a testable model for the coupling mechanism. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.113.01428 | Target Sequencing Cell Experiments And A Population Study Establish Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Enos Gene As Hypertension Susceptibility Gene | A case-control study revealed association between hypertension and rs3918226 in the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene promoter (minor/major allele, T/C allele). We aimed at substantiating these preliminary findings by target sequencing, cell experiments, and a population study. We sequenced the 140-kb genomic area encompassing the eNOS gene. In HeLa and HEK293T cells transfected with the eNOS promoter carrying either the T or the C allele, we quantified transcription by luciferase assay. In 2722 randomly recruited Europeans (53. 0% women; mean age 40. 1 years), we studied blood pressure change and incidence of hypertension in relation to rs3918226, using multivariable-adjusted models. Sequencing confirmed rs3918226, a binding site of E-twenty six transcription factors, as the single nucleotide polymorphism most closely associated with hypertension. In T compared with C transfected cells, eNOS promoter activity was from 20% to 40% (P<0. 01) lower. In the population, systolic/diastolic blood pressure increased over 7. 6 years (median) by 9. 7/6. 8 mm Hg in 28 TT homozygotes and by 3. 8/1. 9 mm Hg in 2694 C allele carriers (P≤0. 0004). The blood pressure rise was 5. 9 mm Hg systolic (confidence interval [CI], 0. 6-11. 1; P=0. 028) and 4. 8 mm Hg diastolic (CI, 1. 5-8. 2; P=0. 0046) greater in TT homozygotes, with no differences between the CT and CC genotypes (P≥0. 90). Among 2013 participants normotensive at baseline, 692 (34. 4%) developed hypertension. The hazard ratio and attributable risk associated with TT homozygosity were 2. 04 (CI, 1. 24-3. 37; P=0. 0054) and 51. 0%, respectively. In conclusion, rs3918226 in the eNOS promoter tags a hypertension susceptibility locus, TT homozygosity being associated with lesser transcription and higher risk of hypertension. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
W4289645539 | Clinical, psychological, social, and family characterization of suicidal behavior in Chilean adolescents: a multiple correspondence analysis | Introduction Suicide is the second leading cause of premature death in people between 15 and 29 years old and the third in young people between 15 and 19 years old. Adolescence is a critical period concerning mental health disorders since there is greater vulnerability to suicidal behaviors. The situation in Latin America is worrying, with Chile being one of the two countries where suicide rates of children and adolescents increase yearly. This study aims to analyze clinical, psychological, family, and social risk factors associated with suicidal behavior in a clinical sample of adolescents treated in the public health system of the Maule region. Methods The study design is cross- sectional. We used a sample of 388 adolescents between 10 and 21 years old admitted to the health system of the Maule Region. The participants were evaluated by applying five measuring instruments (The Barrat Impulsivity Scale, The Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale, The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, The General Help-Seeking Questionnaire for mental health problems in adolescents, and The Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale) in addition to collecting social and family information and relevant clinical history from the medical records. Results The analysis allowed us to identify distinctive characteristics of adolescent suicidal behavior by describing clinical, psychological, and family social factors. Conclusions Adolescents with a history of suicide attempts are characterized by having suicidal ideation, anxious-depressive symptoms, stress, insomnia, and impulsiveness. Likewise, they report being non-religious, belonging to sexual minorities, and victims of sexual harassment and/or abuse.Introducción El suicidio es la segunda causa de muerte prematura en personas entre 15 y 29 años, y la tercera en jóvenes entre 15 y 19 años. La adolescencia es un periodo crítico, dado que existe mayor vulnerabilidad para conductas suicidas. La situación en América Latina es crítica, siendo Chile uno de los dos países donde las tasas de suicidio de niños y adolescentes aumentan año tras año. En este estudio se analizan factores de riesgo clínicos, psicológicos y sociofamiliares asociados con la conducta suicida, en una muestra clínica de adolescentes atendidos en el sistema de salud público de la región del Maule. Método El diseño del presente estudio es transversal. En él se utilizó una muestra de 388 adolescentes de 10 a 21 años ingresados al sistema de salud de la Región del Maule. Durante la recogida de información se aplicaron cinco instrumentos de medición (escalas de impulsividad de Barrat, de dificultades de regulación emocional, de depresión, ansiedad y estrés, cuestionario general de búsqueda de ayuda para problemas de salud mental en adolescentes y escala de clasificación de gravedad del suicidio de Columbia). Además se recabó información sociofamiliar y antecedentes relevantes desde las fichas clínicas. Resultados El análisis realizado permitió identificar características distintivas de la conducta suicida adolescente, mediante la descripción de factores clínicos, psicológicos y sociofamiliares evaluados. Conclusión Los adolescentes con historial de intentos de suicidio se caracterizan por presentar ideación suicida, sintomatología ansiosa- depresiva, estrés, insomnio e impulsividad. Asimismo, reportan no tener creencias religiosas, pertenecer a minorías sexuales y haber sido víctima de acoso y/o abuso sexual. | [
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"The Social World and Its Interactions"
]
|
10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.08.061 | Effects of energy price fluctuation on car-based individual activity-travel behavior | In the transportation literature, the effects of energy price have been studied primarily in terms of their effects on aspects of travel behaviour, both in the short and long term. In the short term, people may adapt their driving style, departure time, travel mode choice, route choice and/or destination choice. But in the longer run people may consider buying a smaller or more efficient car. Unfortunately, compared to other triggers of behavioural change, the impact of energy prices has received only scant attention in the transportation community, perhaps due to a lack of relevant data. Most research has been conducted by economists mostly on the effect of fuel price on car ownership and car use. Far less attention has been paid to short term travel behaviour especially to the dynamics of people's daily travel patterns. To gain insight into this issue, a representative sample of individuals who use the car for traveling was used for revealing the complex interrelationships between people's activity-travel patterns and energy price. With a special focus on days of week difference, seemingly unrelated regression analysis was used to reveal the direct and indirect effects among endogenous and exogenous variables. The results indicate that the impacts of energy price on people's activity-travel patterns significantly differ between weekdays and weekends. In general, an increase in energy price tends to reduce total travel time, while within certain time constraints, different activities and trips compete for the "zero- sum" property of time. Since work and school related activities are mandatory, they are of the highest priority compared to other activities. Results indicated that duration of compulsory activity has considerable negative impacts on duration of maintenance and leisure activity. Further, maintenance activities tend to have higher priority than leisure activities, and the maintenance activity also has a negative impact on leisure activities due to their hierarchical priority level. | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"Human Mobility, Environment, and Space"
]
|
10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2016.05.005 | Something to talk about: are conversation sizes constrained by mental modeling abilities? | Conversations are ubiquitous and central elements of daily life. Yet a fundamental feature of conversation remains a mystery: It is genuinely difficult to maintain an everyday conversation with more than four speakers. Why? We introduce a “mentalizing explanation” for the conversation size constraint, which suggests that humans have a natural limit on their ability to model the minds of others, and that this limit, in turn, shapes the sizes of everyday conversations. Using established methodologies for investigating conversation size, we pit this mentalizing hypothesis against two competing explanations—that the size of a conversation is limited by a short-term memory capacity (limiting the factual information we process) or by an auditory constraint (speakers need to be able to hear what each other are saying)—in conversations drawn from a real-world college campus and from Shakespearean plays. Our results provide support for the mentalizing hypothesis and also render alternative accounts less plausible. | [
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity",
"The Social World and Its Interactions"
]
|
10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2018.12.001 | Traces of statistical learning in the brain's functional connectivity after artificial language exposure | Our environment is full of statistical regularities, and we are attuned to learn about these regularities by employing Statistical Learning (SL), a domain-general ability that enables the implicit detection of probabilistic regularities in our surrounding environment. The role of brain connectivity on SL has been previously explored, highlighting the relevance of structural and functional connections between frontal, parietal, and temporal cortices. However, whether SL can induce changes in the functional connections of the resting state brain has yet to be investigated. To address this question, we applied a pre-post design where participants (n = 38) were submitted to resting-state fMRI acquisition before and after in-scanner exposure to either an artificial language stream (formed by 4 concatenated words) or a random audio stream. Our results showed that exposure to an artificial language stream significantly changed (corrected p < 0. 05) the functional connectivity between Right Posterior Cingulum and Left Superior Parietal Lobule. This suggests that functional connectivity between brain networks supporting attentional and working memory processes may play an important role in statistical learning. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity"
]
|
10.1051/0004-6361/201730552 | Gaia Data Release 1 Open Cluster Astrometry Performance Limitations And Future Prospects | Context. The first Gaia Data Release contains the Tycho-Gaia Astrometric Solution (TGAS). This is a subset of about 2 million stars for which, besides the position and photometry, the proper motion and parallax are calculated using Hipparcos and Tycho-2 positions in 1991. 25 as prior information. Aims. We investigate the scientific potential and limitations of the TGAS component by means of the astrometric data for open clusters. Methods. Mean cluster parallax and proper motion values are derived taking into account the error correlations within the astrometric solutions for individual stars, an estimate of the internal velocity dispersion in the cluster, and, where relevant, the effects of the depth of the cluster along the line of sight. Internal consistency of the TGAS data is assessed. Results. Values given for standard uncertainties are still inaccurate and may lead to unrealistic unit-weight standard deviations of least squares solutions for cluster parameters. Reconstructed mean cluster parallax and proper motion values are generally in very good agreement with earlier Hipparcos-based determination, although the Gaia mean parallax for the Pleiades is a significant exception. We have no current explanation for that discrepancy. Most clusters are observed to extend to nearly 15 pc from the cluster centre, and it will be up to future Gaia releases to establish whether those potential cluster-member stars are still dynamically bound to the clusters. Conclusions. The Gaia DR1 provides the means to examine open clusters far beyond their more easily visible cores, and can provide membership assessments based on proper motions and parallaxes. A combined HR diagram shows the same features as observed before using the Hipparcos data, with clearly increased luminosities for older A and F dwarfs. | [
"Universe Sciences",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1021/ol3007937 | Photooxidations of 2-(γ,ε-dihydroxyalkyl) furans in water: Synthesis of DE-bicycles of the pectenotoxins | Photooxygenations of 2-(γ,ε-dihydroxyalkyl) furans in H 2O followed by in situ reduction and ketalization affords, in one synthetic operation, DE-bicyclic ketals of the pectenotoxins. | [
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
883669 | A micro-scale perspective on alpine floras under climate change. Linking observations and models to improve our understanding of the future of European high mountain plants | The diversity of organisms, one of the most striking features of life on Earth, is under threat, and climate change may become a major driver of the biodiversity crisis in the decades to come. However, climate effects on species will vary across ecosystems and regions. The fate of the rich and peculiar alpine flora in a warming world is particularly contentious. While some researchers expect massive loss of cold-adapted plants because they have little options to escape the heat (‘mountaintop extinction’), others assume low sensitivity of high-mountain floras due to widespread microclimatic refugia in the topographically complex alpine terrain.
MICROCLIM aims to assess the evidence for these contradictory expectations by linking so far separated research strands of monitoring and predictive modelling of alpine plant distribution. In particular, we will, first, provide a comprehensive evaluation of standard modelling approaches by comparing their predictions with Europe-wide monitoring of mountain top floras and analyse the role of spatial scale for possible mismatches between models and observations of change. Second, we will develop a novel modelling framework that simulates the simultaneous range dynamics of many interacting species. We will parameterise this model by means of experiments and observational data and evaluate it against monitoring data on an exemplary mountain. We will then apply the model to simulate the dynamics of the flora of this mountain over the 21st century at a very fine spatial resolution to evaluate the proposed rescue effect of microclimatic variation in alpine terrain. We will finally generalize the results achieved in these dynamic simulations to all summits included in the European mountaintop monitoring network.
The results of MICROCLIM will help understanding how threatened the unique alpine flora of Europe actually is in a warming world and whether mitigating conservation measures will be required to secure its long-term survival. | [
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Earth System Science"
]
|
10.1021/jacs.6b00070 | Sizing and Discovery of Nanosized Polyoxometalate Clusters by Mass Spectrometry | Ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS) is a powerful technique for structural characterization, e. g. , sizing and conformation, particularly when combined with quantitative modeling and comparison to theoretical values. Traveling wave IM-MS (TW-IM-MS) has recently become commercially available to nonspecialist groups and has been exploited in the structural study of large biomolecules, however reliable calibrants for large anions have not been available. Polyoxometalate (POM) species-nanoscale inorganic anions-share many of the facets of large biomolecules, however, the full potential of IM-MS in their study has yet to be realized due to a lack of suitable calibration data or validated theoretical models. Herein we address these limitations by reporting DT-IM (drift tube) data for a set of POM clusters {M12} Keggin 1, {M18} Dawson 2, and two {M7} Anderson derivatives 3 and 4 which demonstrate their use as a TW-IM-MS calibrant set to facilitate characterization of very large (ca. 1-4 nm) anionic species. The data was also used to assess the validity of standard techniques to model the collision cross sections of large inorganic anions using the nanoscale family of compounds based upon the {Se2W29} unit including the trimer, {Se8W86O299} A, tetramer, {Se8W116O408} B, and hexamer {Se12W174O612} C, including their relative sizing in solution. Furthermore, using this data set, we demonstrated how IM-MS can be used to conveniently characterize and identify the synthesis of two new, i. e. , previously unreported POM species, {P8W116}, unknown D, and {Te8W116}, unknown E, which are not amenable to analysis by other means with the approximate formulation of [H34W118X8M2O416]44-, where X = P and M = Co for D and X = Te and M = Mn for E. This work establishes a new type of inorganic calibrant for IM-MS allowing sizing, structural analysis, and discovery of molecular nanostructures directly from solution. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.5194/bg-11-1065-2014 | Influence of temperature and CO<sub>2</sub> on the strontium and magnesium composition of coccolithophore calcite | Abstract. Marine calcareous sediments provide a fundamental basis for palaeoceanographic studies aiming to reconstruct past oceanic conditions and understand key biogeochemical element cycles. Calcifying unicellular phytoplankton (coccolithophores) are a major contributor to both carbon and calcium cycling by photosynthesis and the production of calcite (coccoliths) in the euphotic zone, and the subsequent long-term deposition and burial into marine sediments. Here we present data from controlled laboratory experiments on four coccolithophore species and elucidate the relation between the divalent cation (Sr, Mg and Ca) partitioning in coccoliths and cellular physiology (growth, calcification and photosynthesis). Coccolithophores were cultured under different seawater temperature and carbonate chemistry conditions. The partition coefficient of strontium (DSr) was positively correlated with both carbon dioxide (pCO2) and temperature but displayed no coherent relation to particulate organic and inorganic carbon production rates. Furthermore, DSr correlated positively with cellular growth rates when driven by temperature but no correlation was present when changes in growth rates were pCO2-induced. Our results demonstrate the complex interaction between environmental forcing and physiological control on the strontium partitioning in coccolithophore calcite and challenge interpretations of the coccolith Sr / Ca ratio from high-pCO2 environments (e. g. Palaeocene–Eocene thermal maximum). The partition coefficient of magnesium (DMg) displayed species-specific differences and elevated values under nutrient limitation. No conclusive correlation between coccolith DMg and temperature was observed but pCO2 induced a rising trend in coccolith DMg. Interestingly, the best correlation was found between coccolith DMg and chlorophyll a production, suggesting that chlorophyll a and calcite associated Mg originate from the same intracellular pool. These and previous findings indicate that Mg is transported into the cell and to the site of calcification via different pathways than Ca and Sr. Consequently, the coccolith Mg / Ca ratio should be decoupled from the seawater Mg / Ca ratio. This study gives an extended insight into the driving factors influencing the coccolith Mg / Ca ratio and should be considered for future palaeoproxy calibrations. | [
"Earth System Science",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
US 0214461 W | SYSTEM EMPLOYING CLOCK SIGNAL GENERATION AND SYNCHRONIZATION TECHNIQUE | A system (405) employing synchronous clock signals utilizes the distribution of a fast clock signal (424,425) along a forward path to clock generators for providing standard clock signals, and a recovery of such signal via a return path (445,455). The fast clock signal has a distinguishable portion, such as a periodic missing pulse or other anomaly, which is used to determine delay characteristics for the fast clock signal to the clock generators. A controllable delay corresponding to the forward path is adjusted, based on the determined delay characteristics, to synchronize delivery of the fast clock signal to the clock generators. Preferably, a significant portion of the clock generation and distribution system is formed on a semiconductor structure have a combination of compound semiconductor material and Group IV semiconductor material. | [
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.1038/s41588-018-0101-4 | Signatures of negative selection in the genetic architecture of human complex traits | We develop a Bayesian mixed linear model that simultaneously estimates single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based heritability, polygenicity (proportion of SNPs with nonzero effects), and the relationship between SNP effect size and minor allele frequency for complex traits in conventionally unrelated individuals using genome-wide SNP data. We apply the method to 28 complex traits in the UK Biobank data (N = 126,752) and show that on average, 6% of SNPs have nonzero effects, which in total explain 22% of phenotypic variance. We detect significant (P < 0. 05/28) signatures of natural selection in the genetic architecture of 23 traits, including reproductive, cardiovascular, and anthropometric traits, as well as educational attainment. The significant estimates of the relationship between effect size and minor allele frequency in complex traits are consistent with a model of negative (or purifying) selection, as confirmed by forward simulation. We conclude that negative selection acts pervasively on the genetic variants associated with human complex traits. | [
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Mathematics"
]
|
648693 | No Sword Bites So Fiercly as an Evil Tongue?Gossip Wrecks Reputation, but Enhances Cooperation | Social norms in general, and norms of cooperation in particular, are the cement of all human societies. For the difficult problems of the maintenance and enforcement of social norms and of cooperation, humans have developed surprisingly complex solutions. Reputation mechanisms and gossip are certainly among the compound informal solutions.
According to common wisdom, gossip channels mainly negative and often fictitious information. If it is so, how can dishonest gossip and the resulting biased reputations legitimize social order and promote cooperation?
This is the main puzzle we tackle in the proposed project exploiting a wide scale of instruments. We use analytical modeling and agent-based simulation to derive hypotheses. We test simple hypotheses in small group experiments. We develop new methodological tools to appropriately analyze the triadic nature of gossip embedded in network flows of information. We utilize dynamic network datasets from primary and secondary school classes, and we gather qualitative and quantitative information from organizations to test conditional hypotheses about the role that gossip plays in reputation and cooperation in different developmental and social contexts of life. In addition, we apply new communication technologies currently under development to explore the hidden world of gossip and the dynamics of reputations in dormitories and organizations.
With the insights gained, we can overcome common stereotypes about gossip and highlight how gossip is related to credible reputational signals, cooperation, and social order. Expected results will help us to outline the conditions that can promote cooperativeness in work groups, and they will help to construct successful prevention strategies of social exclusion and other potentially harmful consequences of the evil tongue. | [
"The Social World and Its Interactions",
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1371/journal.pone.0095839 | Marine litter distribution and density in European seas, from the shelves to deep basins | Anthropogenic litter is present in all marine habitats, from beaches to the most remote points in the oceans. On the seafloor, marine litter, particularly plastic, can accumulate in high densities with deleterious consequences for its inhabitants. Yet, because of the high cost involved with sampling the seafloor, no large-scale assessment of distribution patterns was available to date. Here, we present data on litter distribution and density collected during 588 video and trawl surveys across 32 sites in European waters. We found litter to be present in the deepest areas and at locations as remote from land as the Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone across the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The highest litter density occurs in submarine canyons, whilst the lowest density can be found on continental shelves and on ocean ridges. Plastic was the most prevalent litter item found on the seafloor. Litter from fishing activities (derelict fishing lines and nets) was particularly common on seamounts, banks, mounds and ocean ridges. Our results highlight the extent of the problem and the need for action to prevent increasing accumulation of litter in marine environments. | [
"Earth System Science",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution"
]
|
interreg_3430 | Strategies to Reduce and Manage Food Waste in Central Europe | Wasting food is not only an ethical and economic issue but it also depletes the environment of limited natural resources. Additionally, methane emissions from improper food waste management cause high greenhouse gas emissions._x000D_
_x000D_
STREFOWA will address and improve food waste management in selected central European functional urban areas by fostering food waste prevention and treatment, leading to a reduction of environmental impacts (esp. greenhouse gas emissions). Project results will contribute to raising knowledge and implementation capacity regarding food waste management of all target groups along the whole food supply chain (inclunding private persons, local authorities, gastronomes, retailers, teachers, waste management authorities, ...). A real reduction of food waste in different areas and optimisation in food waste treatment will be reached by the:_x000D_
- Implementation of different pilot and demonstration actions;_x000D_
- Establishment of an appropriate transnational stakeholder platform;_x000D_
- Implementation of a web based decision support tool tailored to different users to provide best practice guideline and trainings._x000D_
_x000D_
The focus on the central Europe region is new and not least due to the common cultural and culinary roots reasonable. The innovative approach is not only to focus either on food waste prevention or waste treatment but to see the waste management as a whole following the waste hierarchy as described in the European waste framework directive. Because of close business ties within the central European region e.g. in retail for NGOs a transnational cooperation and implementation of a transnational multi-stakeholder network guarantees an added value compared to single projects._x000D_
_x000D_
Information added on 2020-05-18, regarding the mitigation of the effects of COVID-19 (the coronavirus pandemic that started in 2019) (English language only): Food waste was already a pressing issue before, and panic buying after the lock-down made it even worse. The guidelines for consumers developed by STREFOWA are now more useful than ever. They help citizens to better plan buying and organising groceries at home, so that nothing ends up in the bin. | [
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Human Mobility, Environment, and Space"
]
|
W2125713428 | Movement of Water through Ballast and Subballast for Dual-Line Railway Track | The purpose of effective track design is to ensure that load from trains can be safely supported by subgrade soils, which are likely to be affected by water. Because it is almost impossible to prevent water from entering the ballasted track and therefore affecting the underlying layers, it is vitally important that water can drain away rapidly. The study undertaken shows how water moves through a dual-railway track, which is either symmetrical about the centerline or superelevated with a continuous slope of the subgrade across both tracks. The study shows that water may be retained in the track nearest the drain for more than a week with possible consequential impact on increased deformation and therefore the need for more maintenance. It also shows that a high permeability composite may be included near the base of the subballast to effect significant improvement in track drainage. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Earth System Science"
]
|
Q2869384 | Capacity increase of Caçarola II Restaurant and Creation of local accommodation unit in Freguesia Novo – Figueira da Foz | Strengthening the capacity of the company Esteves & Martins, Lda. in the development of new services, by increasing the capacity of an existing establishment (Caçarola II Restaurant) passing the number of seats from 110 to 150 and the creation of a local accommodation unit with 9 rooms. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering"
]
|
W2382324001 | Motion control system based on real-time ethernet | A real-time Ethernet named EtherMAC( Ethernet for Manufacture Automation Control) was developped for open computer numerical control system. A standard industrial personal computer( IPC) based master node and field programmable gate array( FPGA) based slave nodes were employed in EtherMAC,as neither dedicated network interface card( NIC) nor application specific integrated circuit( ASIC) chips were mandatory,the system was open in hardware architecture. The computation ability of IPC and hard real-time property of FPGA were combined together with Ethernet in this way. By adopting the first slave node to manage the communication and distributed clock,time critical performance could be achieved even the master node only with soft real-time performance. Experimental results showed that communication period less than 1 ms and synchronization precision within 100 ns could be achieved by EtherMAC,which were enough for motion control systems demanded critical real-time and synchronization. | [
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
US 2015/0036602 W | 360 DEGREE PRIVACY FILM | Light control films are provided that confine light transmitted therethrough to be within a 360° view region and block light outside of this view region. The light control films can provide security in all directions including right-and-left and up-and-down of the films, without compromising light transmittance compared to one-dimensional light control films. The light control films include an array of light transmissive, tapered posts and absorptive regions disposed between the posts. | [
"Materials Engineering",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
W1614904978 | Creep behavior of high-pressure die-cast Mg-4Al-4La-0.4Mn alloy under medium stresses and at intermediate temperatures | Abstract Tensile creep behavior of the high-pressure die-cast Mg-4Al-4La-0.4Mn alloy under stresses of 50–100 MPa and at 150–225 °C was thoroughly investigated. This alloy exhibits a stress exponent of approximately 6 and the activation energy Q falls within the range of 80–120 kJ/mol at 150–200 °C. From fitting results, the commonly adopted threshold stress approach is not suitable for ALa44 alloy, and the normalized stress exponent is approximately 7, suggesting that creep deformation of ALa44 alloy was controlled by low-temperature dislocation climb (core diffusion). Furthermore, the microstructural analysis results indicate that the rate-controlling creep mechanism of ALa44 alloy is dislocation climb, but the cell boundary disintegration and the dislocation cross-slip also assisted deformation during creep processes. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
851960 | Deconstructing and rebuilding the evolution of cell and tissue mechanoadaptation | Cells in our body are exceptionally robust: they constantly adapt their properties and behavior to their physical environment. Less appreciated but equally important, the extracellular matrix (ECM) around the cells also adapts to accommodate cell activity. This highly dynamic feedback between the cell and the ECM has been increasingly recognized to play a key role in not only tissue morphogenesis and functions, but also a variety of diseases, from cardiomyopathies to cancer. Moreover, it presents an unprecedented challenge in healthcare and therapeutics, especially regenerative medicine, as progress in this field requires a paradigm shift from conventional, static cell descriptions to a co-evolving cell and tissue physiology. This proposal aims to instigate this transformation by unravelling the fundamental biophysical principles behind cell–matrix dynamic reciprocity and generating a multiscale roadmap of mechanoadaptation critical in functional tissue regeneration.
To achieve this goal, we will develop cutting-edge in vitro manipulation tools to deconstruct and rebuild the dynamics of cells and the ECM independently and interactively, thereby granting us full spatiotemporal control of each component in the system. Using this unique tissue-environment-inspired bottom-up approach, we will dissect how 1) physical changes in the environment are sensed and elicit response by the cell, 2) cell-induced ECM remodeling contributes to mechanical signal transmission, and 3) these local changes are orchestrated into global coordinated mechanoadaptation at the tissue level. The findings will have a broad impact on our fundamental understanding of cell and tissue physiology by identifying novel concepts in mechanoadaptation and will offer specific biomaterial design principles for tissue regeneration. The developed methodology will also advance the field in new directions by enabling further studies on downstream cell and tissue (mal)functions under dynamic conditions. | [
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
W1548084363 | Unmixing Acoustic Sources in Real Reverberant Environments for Close-Microphone Applications* | The problem of acoustic source separation is addressed in an audio application context, especially when considering close-microphone applications and the effects of room acoustics. The framework of blind source separation (BSS) is used here to formally describe the problem, and solutions derived from this framework are examined for the case of separating two interfering acoustic sources in various realistic rooms and conditions. Specifically the performance of a benchmark convolutive BSS algorithm and a Wiener filter, considered in this context as a special case of BSS algorithm, is compared via objective measures as well as a subjective evaluation test to assess their performance. The Wiener filter was found to achieve superior performance and proved to be a simple, efficient method to separate two audio sources in such applications. | [
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Condensed Matter Physics"
]
|
US 2009/0038569 W | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PAPER STOCK MIXING | A method of mixing paper stock, having improved outlet consistency, includes: (a) feeding liquid and feeding paper pulp into a vessel to form a mixture; (b) providing at least one counterflow impeller that is submerged in the mixture, the counterflow impeller being capable of simultaneously inducing both upward flow and downward flow; (c) rotating the counterflow impeller such that downward flow from the impeller is partially recirculated by upward flow from the impeller to form a mixing zone; (d) sensing a parameter of the mixture discharged from the vessel; and (e) controlling the feed rate of the liquid and the feed rate of the paper pulp in the feeding step (a) based on the sensing step (d). An apparatus for mixing of paper stock, having improved outlet consistency, includes a vessel for containing liquid and paper pulp, at least one counterflow impeller, and a feedback system for controlling outlet consistency. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
853517 | Outside-in: How Bullying in Adolescence Gets Into The Mind and Under the Skin | Being bullied is a major stressor for many adolescents and it is recognized as a public health concern worldwide. Adolescents who are exposed to bullying are at increased risk for mental and physical health problems, which could even perpetuate into adulthood. Unfortunately, current understandings of how bullying can pose such deleterious effects remain poor, thus limiting our ability to inform prevention and intervention efforts. This project addresses this fundamental gap and substantially extends prior research in two unique ways. First, I will examine fine-grained processes as they occur within adolescents in real-time in their real-life as a crucial pathway for uncovering mechanisms underlying the negative effects of bullying. Second, I will adopt a multilevel perspective to examine the dynamic interplay between multiple psychological and biological processes and how they unfold over time. In this regard, I will examine the possibility that bullying influences gene expression processes resulting in a gene expression profile that increases risk for health problems. In a first study, I will use a longitudinal measurement burst design, allowing me to examine how bullying exposure can influence within-person processes over time at the daily level. I will assess psychological (e.g., emotional) and physiological (e.g., HPA-axis) functioning in situ, and I will use transcriptional profiling to examine how gene expression changes over adolescence as a function of bullying. In a second study, I will utilize data from the Netherlands Twin Register to identify monozygotic twins who differ from each other in their history of victimization in adolescence and examine their gene expression profiles in early adulthood, while accounting for genetic confounds. Together, this research will offer unprecedented insights about short- and long-term interplays between psychological, physiological and molecular processes through which bullying may get into the mind and under the skin. | [
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"The Social World and Its Interactions"
]
|
10.1016/j.msec.2016.02.052 | Dual-modality self-heating and antibacterial polymer-coated nanoparticles for magnetic hyperthermia | Multifunctional nanoparticles for magnetic hyperthermia which simultaneously display antibacterial properties promise to decrease bacterial infections co-localized with cancers. Current methods synthesize such particles by multi-step procedures, and systematic comparisons of antibacterial properties between coatings, as well as measurements of specific absorption rate (SAR) during magnetic hyperthermia are lacking. Here we report the novel simple method for synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles with shells of oleic acid (OA), polyethyleneimine (PEI) and polyethyleneimine-methyl cellulose (PEI-mC). We compare their antibacterial properties against single gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria as well as biofilms. Magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) with PEI-methyl cellulose were found to be most effective against both S. aureus and E. coli with concentration for 10% growth inhibition (EC10) of < 150 mg/l. All the particles have high SAR and are effective for heat-generation in alternating magnetic fields. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
851794 | Toward single colloidal nanocrystal light-emitting diodes | Nanomaterials are a promising technology that includes a variety of applications ranging from electronics to medicine. Within the family of nanomaterials, colloidal semiconductor nanocrystal (NCs) are among the most investigated, thanks to their desirable optoelectronic properties.
Up until now, NCs have been employed in light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and lasers of relatively large size (devices of at least few hundred microns in area), therefore exploiting the properties of the ensemble (i.e., a NC film). LEDs based on ensemble of NCs show good performance in terms of efficiency and luminance but their applicability is still limited to standard consumer electronics products such as displays and illumination. Interestingly, thanks to quantum confinement a single isolated NC displays single photon emission, a desirable property for application in quantum technologies. Such property has been studied in detail using optical excitation. Yet, the challenge is to exploit single photon emission from a NC under electrical excitation but this requires the development of complex fabrication tools and methods for device preparation.
NANOLED aims at developing light-emitting diodes based on individual colloidal NCs, thus paving the way to novel electrically driven single-photon sources with small footprint that are embeddable in photonic quantum networks. Further development of quantum technologies requires the investigation of devices based on novel materials for single photon generation.
The project identifies 3 objectives to reach the final goal of fabricating a light-emitting diode based on a single nanocrystal: i) Identification and synthesis of semiconductor NCs with the necessary properties. ii) Development of methods for precise spatial positioning of a single semiconductor NC within electrodes able to inject a current into it; iii) Study of the electroluminescence of a single NC and investigation of its applicability toward single-photon and classical light sources. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
10.1126/scitranslmed.aax8313 | Colorectal cancer residual disease at maximal response to EGFR blockade displays a druggable Paneth cell–like phenotype | Blockade of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) causes tumor regression in some patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). However, residual disease reservoirs typically remain even after maximal response to therapy, leading to relapse. Using patient-derived xenografts (PDXs), we observed that mCRC cells surviving EGFR inhibition exhibited gene expression patterns similar to those of a quiescent subpopulation of normal intestinal secretory precursors with Paneth cell characteristics. Compared with untreated tumors, these pseudodifferentiated tumor remnants had reduced expression of genes encoding EGFR-activating ligands, enhanced activity of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and HER3, and persistent signaling along the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway. Clinically, properties of residual disease cells from the PDX models were detected in lingering tumors of responsive patients and in tumors of individuals who had experienced early recurrence. Mechanistically, residual tumor reprogramming after EGFR neutralization was mediated by inactivation of Yes-associated protein (YAP), a master regulator of intestinal epithelium recovery from injury. In preclinical trials, Pan-HER antibodies minimized residual disease, blunted PI3K signaling, and induced long-term tumor control after treatment discontinuation. We found that tolerance to EGFR inhibition is characterized by inactivation of an intrinsic lineage program that drives both regenerative signaling during intestinal repair and EGFR-dependent tumorigenesis. Thus, our results shed light on CRC lineage plasticity as an adaptive escape mechanism from EGFR-targeted therapy and suggest opportunities to preemptively target residual disease. | [
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
2731040 | Strengthening the sfax university expertise for diagnosis and management of epileptic encephalopathies | Epileptic encephalopathies (EE) are heterogenous epilepsy syndromes associated with severe cognitive disturbance. EE vary in their onset age, seizure types, electroencephalographic patterns and etiologies. New molecular technologies increased the genetic diagnosis rate. Inline with EU orientations and Twinning requirements, the SEED project will provide Sfax University (SU), with capacity building in excellence and innovation for earlier clinical and genetic diagnosis of EE, thanks to collaboration with AMU and UA, two internationally leading organisations for the diagnosis of EE. Early clinical and genetic diagnosis allows early management, improves prognosis and reduces health costs. The SEED project will: 1) strengthen the medical and technological capacity towards innovative technologies of SU in the field of EE 2) allow access to scientific excellence at international level for members of the SU which will lead ultimately to a better integration into international networks in MENA and EU regions. The successful implementation of this strategy will rely on specific actions including: 1)enhancement of the existing and the creation of innovative scientific and technical collaborations through short-term staff exchanges and short-term on-site training activities; 2)training young researchers from SU to become trainers; 3)creating an experts’network for EE management centred at SU; 4) increasing awareness among the patient’s families through targeted dissemination and communication activities and 5) developing a strategy to sustain network activity beyond the project deadline. Through the completion of these activities, and with the support of AMU and UA, SU will be able to significantly reduce networking gaps, to increase its ability to compete for international research funds and to link further with stakeholders. In addition, thanks the SEED project, SU will become the reference center for the clinic and genetic diagnosis of EE in the MENA region. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
FR 2018050166 W | METHOD FOR INSERTING A WIRE INTO A GROOVE OF A SEMICONDUCTOR CHIP, AND PIECE OF EQUIPMENT FOR IMPLEMENTING SUCH A METHOD | The invention relates to a method for inserting a wire (7a, 7b) into a longitudinal groove of a semiconductor chip (1) for the assembly thereof, the groove containing a pad (6a, 6b) made of a bonding material having a set melting point, the method comprising: in a positioning step, placing a longitudinal section of the wire (7a, 7b) along the groove, in forced abutment against the pad (6a, 6b); and, in an insertion step, exposing a zone containing at least one portion of the pad (6a, 6b) to a processing temperature higher than the melting point of the bonding material and for a sufficient time to make the pad (6a, 6b) at least partially melt, and causing the wire (7a, 7b) to be inserted into the groove. The invention also relates to a piece of equipment allowing the insertion method to be implemented. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
W2564884355 | 177mLu impurity: Practical aspects of 177mLu hospital waste management | 1248 Objectives In our facility we performing weekly up to two treatments with a standard dose of 7,5 GBq [Lu-177][DOTA0, Tyr3]octreotate. Due to the similar half-lives I-131 ( t1/2=8 d), Lu-177 ( t1/2= 6,7 d) and Y-90 (t1/2=2,6 d) were released in one tank. Depending on the production route there could be impurities of durable 177mLu (t1/2= 160 d) which prevents the timely release of the waste. The aim of our study was the development of a conversion method of the liquid wastes into gel the resulting possibility of disposal at the national collection point. Methods 10 GBq 177Lu-DOTA-tate (n=3)were prepared with an automatic synthesis unit. After the nephroprotectic infusion of 1,5 l Aminosteril N-Hepa 8% 7,5 GBq [177Lu][DOTA0,Tyr3]octreotate were administered. The excreta of the patient were collected within the first 24 h and the volume and activity was measured. The absorption behavior of super-absorbers for water, NaCl and urine was estimated. Storage for a period of 3 months was tested. Results The labeling results in radio-chemical yields ≥ 98 % and a total volume of 20 mL. We found that the precipitated volume was 2,42 ± 0,18 L containing 74 ±2,2 % (5602 ± 166 MBq) of the administered activity. Based on this data’s, an accumulation of approximately 10GBq 177Lu and 12 MBq 177mLu at the end of 40 days were calculated. The superabsorber showed a absorber-volume ratio for water of 0,013 and for sodium chloride which is similar to urine of 0,02 . No changes in the properties or release of activity could be observed Conclusions Because of the high activities of 7,5 GBq per patient and the resulting amount of ~ 3 MBq 177mLu the waste has to be collected separately. The conversion from liquid to solid form using superabsorbers guaranteed an easier and saver handling, storing at smaller space as well as uncomplicated collecting, shipping and deposition for decay. But the most important argument is the huge financial savings per year. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Products and Processes Engineering"
]
|
10.1039/C8NR01365A | A Highly Thermally Stable Sub 20 Nm Magnetic Random Access Memory Based On Perpendicular Shape Anisotropy | A new approach to increase the downsize scalability of perpendicular STT-MRAM is presented. It consists of significantly increasing the thickness of the storage layer in out-of-plane magnetized tunnel junctions (pMTJ) as compared to conventional pMTJ in order to induce a perpendicular shape anisotropy (PSA) in this layer. This PSA is obtained by depositing a thick ferromagnetic (FM) layer on top of an MgO/FeCoB based magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) so that the thickness of the storage layer is of the order of or larger than the diameter of the MTJ pillar. In contrast to conventional spin transfer torque magnetic random access memory (STT-MRAM) wherein the demagnetizing energy opposes the interfacial perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (iPMA), in these novel memory cells, both PSA and iPMA contributions favor the out-of-plane orientation of the storage layer magnetization. Using thicker storage layers in these PSA-STT-MRAMs has several advantages. Due to the PSA, very high and easily tunable thermal stability factors can be achieved, even down to sub-10 nm diameters. Moreover, a low damping material can be used for the thick FM material thus leading to a reduction of the write current. The paper describes this new PSA-STT-MRAM concept, practical realization of such memory arrays, magnetic characterization demonstrating thermal stability factor above 200 for MTJs as small as 8 nm in diameter and possibility to maintain the thermal stability factor above 60 down to 4 nm diameter. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
W438326429 | Capital markets integration: A sociotechnical study of the development of a cross-border securities settlement system | Digital information and communications technologies (ICTs) are transforming capital markets. The integration of capital markets is seen as one such area of transformation. The research presented in this article studies one integration initiative that took shape around the proposed combination of a number of key European securities marketplaces through the development of a cross-border settlement system. Taking a sociotechnical approach, the research presents the positions of the key actants identified in relation to key controversies regarding the development of the settlement system and shows how the relations between the controversies and the positions of the actants involved in them evolve. By examining the role of ICTs in the evolution of these relations, the study seeks to illuminate the complex causalities between the social and technical aspects of cross-border capital market integration. The article argues that in addition to enabling the interconnecting of an expanded set of transacting parties, ICTs bring important cognitive dimensions that enable the inspiration, planning, and foresight necessary for both developers and market participants to formulate their plans, strategies, and positions vis-a-vis the expanded and transformed marketplace arrangements. | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"The Social World and Its Interactions"
]
|
W1981103082 | Radiosensitivity, liquid-holding recovery and relative biological effectiveness of densely-ionizing radiation after repeated irradiation of yeast cells | Experimental results described earlier showed significantly larger relative biological effectiveness (RBE) values for wild-type diploid cells in comparison with radiosensitive mutants. This aspect was further studied in this paper. Diploid yeast cells were irradiated with gamma rays from (60)Co and alpha particles from (239)Pu in the stationary phase of cell growth. Survival curves and the kinetics of the liquid-holding recovery were measured. When the irradiated cells had completely recovered from potentially lethal damage, they were again exposed to radiation and allowed post-irradiation recovery. The procedure was repeated three times. By use of a quantitative approach - describing the process of recovery as a decrease in the effective radiation dose -, the probability of recovery per unit time and the proportion of irreversibly damaged cells were quantitatively estimated. It was shown that the irreversible fraction of cell injury was increased after repeated exposures to gamma rays, from 0.4 after the first irradiation to 0.7 after the third exposure. The effect was more clearly expressed after exposure to densely ionizing radiation, the corresponding values being 0.5 and 1.0. In contrast, the recovery constant did not depend on the number of repeated irradiations and only slightly depended on radiation quality. It is suggested that the process of recovery from potentially lethal radiation damage itself is not impaired after repeated exposures to both low- and high-LET radiations, and the decrease in the ability of the cell to recover from radiation damage is mainly explained by the increase in the proportion of irreversibly damaged cells. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration"
]
|
W4283738986 | Association Between BNT162b2 Vaccination and Long COVID After Infections Not Requiring Hospitalization in Health Care Workers | This study examines the risk of long COVID following mRNA vaccination, compared with no vaccination, in health care workers in Italy who had COVID-19 infection. | [
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
802093 | EXPLORING NONLINEAR DYNAMICS IN GRAPHENE NANOMECHANICAL SYSTEMS | Micro and nanomechanical systems are being adopted in billions of products, that address a wide range of sensor and actuator applications in modern technology. The advent of graphene, and the ability to fabricate single atom thick membranes, promises further device downscaling, enabling ultimate sensing capabilities that until recently seemed utopical. But, these atomically thin membranes are in essence nonlinear and exhibit nonlinear dynamic behavior at forces of only a few pN, which needs to be understood to harness their full potential.
Although the field of nonlinear dynamics dates back several centuries, its implications at the atomic scale have remained relatively unexplored. Thermal fluctuations due to Brownian motion and nanoscale forces become dominant at this scale, and when combined with graphene’s exotic elasticity, give rise to phenomena that are not observed before, and cannot be explained by classical approaches. Our poor understanding of these complex features at the same time, have made characterization of graphene very challenging. An example is its bending modulus that is evaluated orders of magnitude higher than theoretical predications, by the available experimental methods.
In this project, I aim at providing full understanding of nonlinearities of these one atom thick membranes, not only to unveil the enigmatic behavior of graphene but also to improve current nanomaterial characterization methods. The distinguishing feature of my methodology is that on the one side, it will be based on atomistic simulations combined with modal order reduction techniques, to predict the complexities at the single atom level; on the other side, experimental nonlinear dynamic data will be analyzed for evaluating nonlinear effects and extracting material properties using nonlinear resonances in the MHz range. My methodology will have the potential to serve as the next generation of characterization techniques for nanomaterial science and nanomechanics communities. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Materials Engineering",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
W2279970817 | Study on the thermodynamics of the gadolinium-hydrogen binary system (H/Gd = 0.0–2.0) and implications to metallic gadolinium purification | Abstract The thermodynamics of the gadolinium-hydrogen (Gd–H) binary system (H/Gd = 0.0–2.0) between 650 and 900 °C is studied by pressure composition isotherm measurement. Significant H dissolution in Gd is observed, up to H/Gd = 0.34 at 650 °C and 0.55 at 900 °C. The metal-rich phase boundary of nonstoichiometric gadolinium dihydride was found to occur with nominal composition of GdH 1.80 at 650 °C and GdH 1.53 at 900 °C. The results are in fairly good agreement with previous experimental work but with improved accuracy. The binary phase diagram is obtained using the CALPHAD method. The thermodynamic study here assists the understanding on the efficient deoxygenation effect by the H in Gd for Gd purification. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.1039/C7AN00544J | Thiol Ene Micropillar Array Electrospray Ionization Platform For Zeptomole Level Bioanalysis | A micropillar array electrospray ionization (μPESI) platform fabricated from thiol–enes with 56 individual polyethylene glycol coated μPESI chips for bioanalytical mass spectrometry is introduced. Bioanalysis capability is shown by measurement of a protein, a protein digest and a cell lysate sample. The thiol–ene polyethylene glycol (PEG) coated μPESI chip allows the use of a wide range of aqueous–organic solvent compositions and provides a detection limit at 60 zeptomole level (6 × 10−20 mol) for a peptide standard. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
10.1039/C3NR03335J | Assessing The Relevance Of Building Block Crystallinity For Tuning The Stiffness Of Gold Nanocrystal Superlattices | We study the influence of the size and nanocrystallinity of dodecanethiol-coated gold nanocrystals (NCs) on the stiffness of 3D self-assembled NC superlattices (called supracrystals). Using single domain and polycrystalline NCs as building blocks for supracrystals, it is shown that the stiffness of supracrystals can be tuned upon change in relative amounts of single and polycrystalline NCs. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
890359 | The next 100 optimizing compilers | Ideally, advances in hardware design would directly translate to performance or energy improvements in software. In reality, this involves a manual process of tuning a sophisticated production compiler or hardware-specific rewriting of code. This process is challenging even for the few experts who possess the required range of skills. Moreover, any errors introduced in this process affect the entire software stack and likely compromise its reliability and security.
The aim of this project is to enable software to take full advantage of the capabilities of emerging microprocessor designs without modifying the compiler.
Towards this end, we propose a new approach to code generation and optimization. Our approach uses constraint solving in a novel way to generate efficient code for modern architectures and guarantee that the generated code correctly implements the source code.
Unlike existing superoptimization and synthesis methods, our approach shifts the entire search problem into the solver. Tight integration with the solver provides a way to reuse reasoning steps and guide the solver using domain specific
information about the input program and the target architecture.
This approach paves the way to employing recent advances in SMT solvers and has the potential to advance SMT solvers
further by providing a new category of challenging benchmarks that come from an industrial application domain.
I expect this project to revolutionize the way compilers perform hardware-specific optimizations. It will eliminate an entire class of software errors and unrealized potential performance gains caused by modern optimizing compilers. It will also aid hardware designers by providing greater flexibility for design explorations and faster deployment of new hardware. Thus, this project will lead to significant improvement in performance and stability of software systems, as well as a fundamental impact on several scientific fields. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
TW 97117024 A | System for 3D image projections and viewing | Shaped glasses have curved surface lenses and spectrally complementary filters disposed on the curved surface lenses configured to compensate for wavelength shifts occurring due to viewing angles and other sources. The spectrally complementary filters include guard bands to prevent crosstalk between spectrally complementary portions of a 3D image viewed through the shaped glasses. In one embodiment, the spectrally complementary filters are disposed on the curved lenses with increasing layer thickness towards edges of the lenses. The projected complementary images may also be pre-shifted to compensate for subsequent wavelength shifts occurring while viewing the images. Spectral separation filters for channels of a 3D image projection incorporate passbands of primary colors. In at least one of the filters, passbands are present in more than 3 primary colors. A set of two filters include a first filter having passbands of low blue, high blue, low green, high green, and red, and a second filter having passbands of blue, green, and red. The additional primary passbands of the first filter allow for an increased color space in projections through the filters compared to filters only having red, green, and blue primaries. The added flexibility of the increased color space is utilized to more closely match a color space and white point of a projector in which the filters are used. The shaped glasses and projection filters together may be utilized as a system for projecting and viewing 3D images. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
EP 2020067289 W | FEED ADDITIVE | The present invention pertains to a feed additive for monogastric animal feed comprising at least two TRP modulators capable of improving calcium uptake in the intestine of a monogastric animal, and a controlled release agent, wherein the feed additive comprises carvacrol and vanillin. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering"
]
|
W2732504061 | FDM simulation of earthquakes off western Kyushu, Japan, using a land–ocean unified 3D structure model | Seismic activity occurred off western Kyushu, Japan, at the northern end of the Okinawa Trough on May 6, 2016 (14:11 JST), 22 days after the onset of the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake sequence. The area is adjacent to the Beppu–Shimabara graben where the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake sequence occurred. In the area off western Kyushu, a M7.1 earthquake also occurred on November 14, 2015 (5:51 JST), and a tsunami with a height of 0.3 m was observed. In order to better understand these seismic activity and tsunamis, it is necessary to study the sources of, and strong motions due to, earthquakes in the area off western Kyushu. For such studies, validation of synthetic waveforms is important because of the presence of the oceanic water layer and thick sediments in the source area. We show the validation results for synthetic waveforms through nonlinear inversion analyses of small earthquakes (~M5). We use a land–ocean unified 3D structure model, 3D HOT finite-difference method (“HOT” stands for Heterogeneity, Ocean layer and Topography) and a multi-graphic processing unit (GPU) acceleration to simulate the wave propagations. We estimate the first-motion augmented moment tensor (FAMT) solution based on both the long-period surface waves and short-period body waves. The FAMT solutions systematically shift landward by about 13 km, on average, from the epicenters determined by the Japan Meteorological Agency. The synthetics provide good reproductions of the observed full waveforms with periods of 10 s or longer. On the other hand, for waveforms with shorter periods (down to 4 s), the later surface waves are not reproduced well, while the first parts of the waveforms (comprising P- and S-waves) are reproduced to some extent. These results indicate that the current 3D structure model around Kyushu is effective for generating full waveforms, including surface waves with periods of about 10 s or longer. Based on these findings, we analyze the 2015 M7.1 event using the cross-correlations between the observed and synthetic waveforms. The result suggests a rupture propagation toward the NNE, with a major radiation about 25 km north of the onset point. | [
"Earth System Science",
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1016/j.celrep.2016.10.021 | SWAP70 Organizes the Actin Cytoskeleton and Is Essential for Phagocytosis | Actin plays a critical role during the early stages of pathogenic microbe internalization by immune cells. In this study, we identified a key mechanism of actin filament tethering and stabilization to the surface of phagosomes in human dendritic cells. We found that the actin-binding protein SWAP70 is specifically recruited to nascent phagosomes by binding to the lipid phosphatidylinositol (3,4)-bisphosphate. Multi-color super-resolution stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy revealed that the actin cage surrounding early phagosomes is formed by multiple concentric rings containing SWAP70. SWAP70 colocalized with and stimulated activation of RAC1, a known activator of actin polymerization, on phagosomes. Genetic ablation of SWAP70 impaired actin polymerization around phagosomes and resulted in a phagocytic defect. These data show a key role for SWAP70 as a scaffold for tethering the peripheral actin cage to phagosomes. | [
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy"
]
|
10.1109/ICCV.2019.00272 | Howto100M Learning A Text Video Embedding By Watching Hundred Million Narrated Video Clips | Learning text-video embeddings usually requires a dataset of video clips with manually provided captions. However, such datasets are expensive and time consuming to create and therefore difficult to obtain on a large scale. In this work, we propose instead to learn such embeddings from video data with readily available natural language annotations in the form of automatically transcribed narrations. The contributions of this work are three-fold. First, we introduce HowTo100M: a large-scale dataset of 136 million video clips sourced from 1. 22M narrated instructional web videos depicting humans performing and describing over 23k different visual tasks. Our data collection procedure is fast, scalable and does not require any additional manual annotation. Second, we demonstrate that a text-video embedding trained on this data leads to state-of-the-art results for text-to-video retrieval and action localization on instructional video datasets such as YouCook2 or CrossTask. Finally, we show that this embedding transfers well to other domains: fine-tuning on generic Youtube videos (MSR-VTT dataset) and movies (LSMDC dataset) outperforms models trained on these datasets alone. Our dataset, code and models are publicly available. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1016/j.neuron.2011.04.022 | Nuclear Calcium-VEGFD Signaling Controls Maintenance of Dendrite Arborization Necessary for Memory Formation | The role of neuronal dendrites is to receive and process synaptic inputs. The geometry of the dendritic arbor can undergo neuronal activity-dependent changes that may impact the cognitive abilities of the organism. Here we show that vascular endothelial growth factor D (VEGFD), commonly known as an angiogenic mitogen, controls the total length and complexity of dendrites both in cultured hippocampal neurons and in the adult mouse hippocampus. VEGFD expression is dependent upon basal neuronal activity and requires nuclear calcium-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IV (CaMKIV) signaling. Suppression of VEGFD expression in the mouse hippocampus by RNA interference causes memory impairments. Thus, nuclear calcium-VEGFD signaling mediates the effect of neuronal activity on the maintenance of dendritic arbors in the adult hippocampus and is required for cognitive functioning. These results suggest that caution be employed in the clinical use of blockers of VEGFD signaling for antiangiogenic cancer therapy. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration"
]
|
10.1126/science.1259657 | Genomic surveillance elucidates Ebola virus origin and transmission during the 2014 outbreak | In its largest outbreak, Ebola virus disease is spreading through Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria. We sequenced 99 Ebola virus genomes from 78 patients in Sierra Leone to ∼2000× coverage. We observed a rapid accumulation of interhost and intrahost genetic variation, allowing us to characterize patterns of viral transmission over the initial weeks of the epidemic. This West African variant likely diverged from central African lineages around 2004, crossed from Guinea to Sierra Leone in May 2014, and has exhibited sustained human-to-human transmission subsequently, with no evidence of additional zoonotic sources. Because many of the mutations alter protein sequences and other biologically meaningful targets, they should be monitored for impact on diagnostics, vaccines, and therapies critical to outbreak response. | [
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
10.1145/2678025.2716265 | Modelling User Affect And Sentiment In Intelligent User Interfaces A Tutorial Overview | The computer-based automatic analysis of human sentiment, and affect are broadly expected to play a major role that will likely make 'that difference' in future Intelligent User Interfaces, as they bear the promise to lend interactive systems emotional intelligence. Such comprise intelligent digital games, e. g. , for empowerment and inclusion, tutoring systems, information systems or virtual companions, e. g. , in the car to name but a few. This tutorial aims to give a good introduction into the related fields of user Sentiment Analysis and user Affect Modelling. Its intention is to show the general technology, and its current reliability, the ways for technical integration and efficient embedding of solutions in a user interface context, and the latest trends in this young and ever emerging field. Emphasis is laid on highlighting the range of toolkits available at this moment with the aim of empowering one to immediately craft own solutions. This description contains the general motivation, goals, objectives, and topics. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity"
]
|
SE 9200241 W | GASSPRING WHICH AFTER COMPRESSION HAS A TIME DELAYED RETURN TO ITS ORIGINAL LENGTH | The invention consists on the one hand of a cylinder (2) closed at its ends by means of end walls (4, 5) and on the other hand of an enclosed space (10). With a piston (3) capable of axial displacement, the cylinder (2) is divided into two sub-spaces (6, 7). The space (10) communicates with the aforementioned first sub-space (6) via a first openable and closable valve (11a). The second sub-space (7) communicates with the aforementioned first sub-space (6) via a second openable and closable valve (13a). A control device (12) actuates the openable and closable valves (11a, 13a), so that the second valve (13a) is opened when a force (F) acting upon the end of the piston rod (8) has forced the piston (3) in a direction towards the first end wall (4) and into a predetermined position. The second valve (13a) is closed again once pressure equilibrium has been achieved between the sub-spaces (6, 7). The first valve (11a) is opened for a period of sufficient duration to permit pressure equilibrium to be achieved between the second sub-space (7) and the enclosed space (10). After a predetermined period has elapsed after the force (F) acting against the end of the piston rod has ceased to be applied, the aforementioned second valve (13a) opens, when the piston (3) returns to its initial position. Once the piston (3) has reached its initial position, the first valve (11a) is opened. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
W4226345140 | Literatura y diversidad en la formación docente: el aula de Magisterio como espacio de reflexión | The presence of diversity in our schools is undoubtedly one of the great educational challenges of our time: therefore, the training received by future teachers also must be in the focus of our concern. In this paper we intend to approach the ideas and beliefs of Teaching students about children's literature as a tool for work on diversities and as an element directly linked to dialogue and empathy so that all lives can be lived, avoiding any form of violence against those who are perceived as different. Starting from a classroom experience carried out with Teacher Training students from the University of Valencia (Spain), we will reach convincing conclusions about their own perception of the deficiencies in university education and also about the potential of children's literature in this task that involves the entire educational community, which will undoubtedly help when introducing diversity transversely in teacher training. | [
"Texts and Concepts",
"The Social World and Its Interactions"
]
|
10.1103/PhysRevB.93.205410 | Nanometer-scale monitoring of quantum-confined Stark effect and emission efficiency droop in multiple GaN/AlN quantum disks in nanowires | We report on a detailed study of the intensity dependent optical properties of individual GaN/AlN quantum disks (QDisks) embedded into GaN nanowires (NW). The structural and optical properties of the QDisks were probed by high spatial resolution cathodoluminescence (CL) in a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM). By exciting the QDisks with a nanometric electron beam at currents spanning over three orders of magnitude, strong nonlinearities (energy shifts) in the light emission are observed. In particular, we find that the amount of energy shift depends on the emission rate and on the QDisk morphology (size, position along the NW and shell thickness). For thick QDisks (>4 nm), the QDisk emission energy is observed to blueshift with the increase of the emission intensity. This is interpreted as a consequence of the increase of carriers density excited by the incident electron beam inside the QDisks, which screens the internal electric field and thus reduces the quantum confined Stark effect (QCSE) present in these QDisks. For thinner QDisks (<3nm), the blueshift is almost absent in agreement with the negligible QCSE at such sizes. For QDisks of intermediate sizes there exists a current threshold above which the energy shifts, marking the transition from unscreened to partially screened QCSE. From the threshold value we estimate the lifetime in the unscreened regime. These observations suggest that, counterintuitively, electrons of high energy can behave ultimately as single electron-hole pair generators. In addition, when we increase the current from 1 to 10 pA the light emission efficiency drops by more than one order of magnitude. This reduction of the emission efficiency is a manifestation of the "efficiency droop" as observed in nitride-based 2D light emitting diodes, a phenomenon tentatively attributed to the Auger effect. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
10.1063/1.5086091 | Broadband Lumped Element Josephson Parametric Amplifier With Single Step Lithography | We present a lumped-element Josephson parametric amplifier (JPA) utilizing a straightforward fabrication process involving a single electron beam lithography step followed by double-angle evaporation of aluminum and in-situ oxidation. The Josephson junctions forming the SQUID are fabricated using bridgeless shadow evaporation technique, which enables reliable fabrication of relatively large ($\sim9~\mathrm{\mu m^2}$) junctions. Our strongly coupled flux-pumped JPA achieves 20~dB gain with 95~MHz bandwidth around 5~GHz, while the center frequency is tunable by more than 1~GHz, with the additional possibility for rapid tuning by varying the pump frequency alone. Analytical calculations based on the input-output theory reproduce our measurement results closely. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
10.1093/bioinformatics/bts496 | Shortran: A pipeline for small RNA-seq data analysis | High-throughput sequencing currently generates a wealth of small RNA (sRNA) data, making data mining a topical issue. Processing of these large data sets is inherently multidimensional as length, abundance, sequence composition, and genomic location all hold clues to sRNA function. Analysis can be challenging because the formulation and testing of complex hypotheses requires combined use of visualization, annotation and abundance profiling. To allow flexible generation and querying of these disparate types of information, we have developed the shortran pipeline for analysis of plant or animal short RNA sequencing data. It comprises nine modules and produces both graphical and MySQL format output. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
]
|
694819 | EXPERIMENTAL CONSTRAINTS ON THE ISOTOPE SIGNATURES OF THE EARLY SOLAR SYSTEM | This project aims at simulating the processes that took place in the early Solar System to determine how these processes shaped the chemical and isotope compositions of solids that accreted to ultimately form terrestrial planets. Planetary materials exhibit mass dependent and mass independent isotope signatures and their origin and relationships are not fully understood. This proposal will be based on new experiments reproducing the conditions of the solar nebula in its first few million years and on a newly designed Knudsen Effusion Mass Spectrometer (KEMS) that will be built for the purpose of this project. This project consists of three main subprojects: (1) we will simulate the effect of particle irradiation on solids to examine how isotopes can be fractionated by these processes to identify whether this can explain chemical variations in meteorites. We will examine whether particle irradiation can cause mass independent fractionation, (2) the novel KEMS instrument will be used to determine the equilibrium isotope fractionation associated with reactions between gas and condensed phases at high temperature. It will also be used to determine the kinetic isotope fractionation associated with evaporation and condensation of solids. This will provide new constraints on the thermodynamic conditions, T, P and fO2 during heating events that have modified the chemical composition of planetary materials. These constraints will also help identify the processes that cause the depletion in volatile elements and the fractionation in refractory elements observed in planetesimals and planets, (3) we will examine the effect of UV irradiation on chemical species in the vapour phase as an attempt to reproduce observed isotope compositions found in meteorites or their components. These results may radically change our view on how the protoplanetary disk evolved and how solids were transported and mixed. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Universe Sciences"
]
|
10.1038/nature16325 | Regenerative biology: Innate immunity repairs gut lining | It emerges that innate immune cells called group 3 innate lymphoid cells signal directly to intestinal stem cells to promote the replacement of damaged epithelial cells lining the gut. | [
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy"
]
|
10.1142/S0129167X10006215 | Second Order Quasilinear Pdes And Conformal Structures In Projective Space | We investigate second-order quasilinear equations of the form fijuxixj = 0, where u is a function of n independent variables x1, …, xn, and the coefficients fij depend on the first-order derivatives p1 = ux1, …, pn = uxn only. We demonstrate that the natural equivalence group of the problem is isomorphic to SL(n + 1, R), which acts by projective transformations on the space Pn with coordinates p1, …, pn. The coefficient matrix fij defines on Pn a conformal structure fij(p)dpidpj. The necessary and sufficient conditions for the integrability of such equations by the method of hydrodynamic reductions are derived, implying that the moduli space of integrable equations is 20-dimensional. Any equation satisfying the integrability conditions is necessarily conservative, and possesses a dispersionless Lax pair. The integrability conditions imply that the conformal structure fij(p) dpidpj is conformally flat, and possesses infinitely many three-conjugate null coordinate systems parametrized by three arbitrary functions of one variable. Integrable equations provide examples of such conformal structures parametrized by elementary functions, elliptic functions and modular forms. | [
"Mathematics"
]
|
10.1002/adma.201900488 | Immunogold FIB-SEM: Combining Volumetric Ultrastructure Visualization with 3D Biomolecular Analysis to Dissect Cell–Environment Interactions | Volumetric imaging techniques capable of correlating structural and functional information with nanoscale resolution are necessary to broaden the insight into cellular processes within complex biological systems. The recent emergence of focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) has provided unparalleled insight through the volumetric investigation of ultrastructure; however, it does not provide biomolecular information at equivalent resolution. Here, immunogold FIB-SEM, which combines antigen labeling with in situ FIB-SEM imaging, is developed in order to spatially map ultrastructural and biomolecular information simultaneously. This method is applied to investigate two different cell–material systems: the localization of histone epigenetic modifications in neural stem cells cultured on microstructured substrates and the distribution of nuclear pore complexes in myoblasts differentiated on a soft hydrogel surface. Immunogold FIB-SEM offers the potential for broad applicability to correlate structure and function with nanoscale resolution when addressing questions across cell biology, biomaterials, and regenerative medicine. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
10.1109/TMAG.2016.2590384 | Magnetomechanical Model for Hysteresis in Electrical Steel Sheet | A coupled magnetomechanical model for hysteresis in an electrical steel sheet is presented. The foundation of the model developed is the classical Sablik-Jiles-Atherton (SJA) model. A comprehensive model for the stress-dependent magnetostriction is also proposed and implemented in the SJA model. Improvements in the SJA model as well are proposed and validated with simultaneous measurements of magnetostriction, magnetic field, and flux density. The measurements were performed on a single electrical steel sheet under various levels of stress (-35 to 100 MPa). The proposed model was found to adequately model the permeability change and the local bowing of the B - H -loop due to stress. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.1038/ncomms5731 | An engineered pathway for the biosynthesis of renewable propane | The deployment of next-generation renewable biofuels can be enhanced by improving their compatibility with the current infrastructure for transportation, storage and utilization. Propane, the bulk component of liquid petroleum gas, is an appealing target as it already has a global market. In addition, it is a gas under standard conditions, but can easily be liquefied. This allows the fuel to immediately separate from the biocatalytic process after synthesis, yet does not preclude energy-dense storage as a liquid. Here we report, for the first time, a synthetic metabolic pathway for producing renewable propane. The pathway is based on a thioesterase specific for butyryl-acyl carrier protein (ACP), which allows native fatty acid biosynthesis of the Escherichia coli host to be redirected towards a synthetic alkane pathway. Propane biosynthesis is markedly stimulated by the introduction of an electron-donating module, optimizing the balance of O2 supply and removal of native aldehyde reductases. | [
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering"
]
|
10.1353/ajm.2018.0019 | Sampling of real multivariate polynomials and pluripotential theory | We consider the problem of stable sampling of multivariate real polynomials of large degree in a general framework where the polynomials are defined on an affine real algebraic variety M, equipped with a weighted measure. In particular, this framework contains the well-known setting of trigonometric polynomials (when M is a torus equipped with its invariant measure), where the limit of large degree corresponds to a high frequency limit, as well as the classical setting of one-variable orthogonal algebraic polynomials (when M is the real line equipped with a suitable measure), where the sampling nodes can be seen as generalizations of the zeros of the corresponding orthogonal polynomials. It is shown that a necessary condition for sampling, in the general setting, is that the asymptotic density of the sampling points is greater than the density of the corresponding weighted equilibrium measure of M, as defined in pluripotential theory. This result thus generalizes the well-known Landau type results for sampling on the torus, where the corresponding critical density corresponds to the Nyqvist rate, as well as the classical result saying that the zeros of orthogonal polynomials become equidistributed with respect to the logarithmic equilibrium measure, as the degree tends to infinity. | [
"Mathematics"
]
|
W2587603968 | Informačný systém pre hodnotenie zamestnancov. | The undergraduate thesis deals with the development process of an information system from the first analysis of system requirements to the design and realisation and up to the final implementation. The first chapter addresses the explanation of basic terms. The second chapter addresses the analysis of the requirements for an information system and deals with a proposed web based application. For this reason, in the first phase of a new project an analytic team, in cooperation with representatives of the customer, deals with the primary determination, or in other words, with establishing the requirements that will form the subject matter of the task. The last third chapter addresses the actual practical realisation of the information system and also describes the implementation of the system. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
175247 | Automatic rail safety solution | By 2025 1800km of rail lines will be automated worldwide. With the increase in automatic train operation comes the need to create an innovative platform and track protection system to ensure the security of passengers while maintaining increased efficiency in public transport. According to the European Railway Agency in 2012 there were a total of 5122 railway incidents involving people across Europe of which 1016 were serious injuries, 1133 were deaths and 2973 were suicides. The combined costs of fatalities and serious injuries cost the EU more than 1.5 billion euros in 2012. SDO-MET (Metro Object Detection System) is an innovative technology that aims at helping usher in the next era in automated public transport. Our platform and track security system provides a safer, lower cost, and easier to install alternative to current systems. Using an innovative system of sensors and cameras our goal is to make metro platforms and track areas safe and efficient for users and operators of automated trains. Our goals for phase 2 are to further develop and refine SDO-MET in order to have a market ready product. Our main focus, on a technical level, will be the implementation of the two SoA visual systems necessary for SDO-MET. The potential customers are the main operators of the railway sector such as Barcelona Metropolitan Transport, Metro de Madrid and Brussels Metro with whom we currently have trade relations. Other potential customers include project engineers and manufacturers /distributors of railway equipment such as SIEMENS, BOMBARDIERS, THALES, etc. During the development of our first prototype over the past 5 years we have developed a business plan and commercialization strategy. These and other feasibility activities, along with the willingness to pay already expressed by our collaborators, makes us confident that SDO-MET has market scalability and will be successful on a global scale. The potential worldwide market is for SDO-MET is 497 metro lines (452.7 B €). | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1134/S0021364017020011 | Dark Matter From Dark Energy In Q Theory | A constant (spacetime-independent) $q$-field may play a crucial role for the cancellation of Planck-scale contributions to the gravitating vacuum energy density. We now show that a small spacetime-dependent perturbation of the equilibrium $q$-field behaves gravitationally as a pressureless perfect fluid. This makes the fluctuating part of the $q$-field a candidate for the inferred dark-matter component of the present universe. For a Planck-scale oscillation frequency of the $q$-field perturbation, the implication would be that direct searches for dark-matter particles would remain unsuccessful in the foreseeable future. | [
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Universe Sciences"
]
|
10.1098/rsif.2016.0918 | A mathematical model of tumour angiogenesis: Growth, regression and regrowth | Cancerous tumours have the ability to recruit new blood vessels through a process called angiogenesis. By stimulating vascular growth, tumours get connected to the circulatory system, receive nutrients and open a way to colonize distant organs. Tumour-induced vascular networks become unstable in the absence of tumour angiogenic factors (TAFs). They may undergo alternating stages of growth, regression and regrowth. Following a phase-field methodology, we propose a model of tumour angiogenesis that reproduces the aforementioned features and highlights the importance of vascular regression and regrowth. In contrast with previous theories which focus on vessel remodelling due to the absence of flow, we model an alternative regression mechanism based on the dependency of tumour-induced vascular networks on TAFs. The model captures capillaries at full scale, the plastic dynamics of tumour-induced vessel networks at long time scales, and shows the key role played by filopodia during angiogenesis. The predictions of our model are in agreement with in vivo experiments and may prove useful for the design of antiangiogenic therapies. | [
"Mathematics",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
10.1128/AEM.02250-15 | Anodes Stimulate Anaerobic Toluene Degradation Via Sulfur Cycling In Marine Sediments | Hydrocarbons released during oil spills are persistent in marine sediments due to the absence of suitable electron acceptors below the oxic zone. Here, we investigated an alternative bioremediation strategy to remove toluene, a model monoaromatic hydrocarbon, using a bioanode. Bioelectrochemical reactors were inoculated with sediment collected from a hydrocarbon-contaminated marine site, and anodes were polarized at 0 mV and +300 mV (versus an Ag/AgCl [3 M KCl] reference electrode). The degradation of toluene was directly linked to current generation of up to 301 mA m(-2) and 431 mA m(-2) for the bioanodes polarized at 0 mV and +300 mV, respectively. Peak currents decreased over time even after periodic spiking with toluene. The monitoring of sulfate concentrations during bioelectrochemical experiments suggested that sulfur metabolism was involved in toluene degradation at bioanodes. 16S rRNA gene-based Illumina sequencing of the bulk anolyte and anode samples revealed enrichment with electrocatalytically active microorganisms, toluene degraders, and sulfate-reducing microorganisms. Quantitative PCR targeting the α-subunit of the dissimilatory sulfite reductase (encoded by dsrA) and the α-subunit of the benzylsuccinate synthase (encoded by bssA) confirmed these findings. In particular, members of the family Desulfobulbaceae were enriched concomitantly with current production and toluene degradation. Based on these observations, we propose two mechanisms for bioelectrochemical toluene degradation: (i) direct electron transfer to the anode and/or (ii) sulfide-mediated electron transfer. | [
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Earth System Science"
]
|
10.1177/1745691614526414 | Banishing The Control Homunculi In Studies Of Action Control And Behavior Change | For centuries, human self-control has fascinated scientists and nonscientists alike. Current theories often attribute it to an executive control system. But even though executive control receives a great deal of attention across disciplines, most aspects of it are still poorly understood. Many theories rely on an ill-defined set of “homunculi” doing jobs like “response inhibition” or “updating” without explaining how they do so. Furthermore, it is not always appreciated that control takes place across different timescales. These two issues hamper major advances. Here we focus on the mechanistic basis for the executive control of actions. We propose that at the most basic level, action control depends on three cognitive processes: signal detection, action selection, and action execution. These processes are modulated via error-correction or outcome-evaluation mechanisms, preparation, and task rules maintained in working and long-term memory. We also consider how executive control of actions becomes automatized with practice and how people develop a control network. Finally, we discuss how the application of this unified framework in clinical domains can increase our understanding of control deficits and provide a theoretical basis for the development of novel behavioral change interventions. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity"
]
|
10.1111/j.1365-2745.2012.01990.x | Driving factors of forest growth: A reply to Ferry et al. (2012) | 1. In a recent paper, we analysed the effects of climate, soil and logging disturbance on tree and forest growth (Toledo et al. 2011a). We took advantage of one of the largest data sets in the Neotropics, consisting of 165 1-ha plots and over 62000 trees distributed over an area of c. 160000km 2, across large environmental gradients in lowland Bolivia. The main findings were that climate was the strongest driver of spatial variation in tree growth, whereas soils had only a modest effect on growth and that the effect of logging disappeared after a few years. 2. Ferry (2012) suggest that we underestimated the disturbance effects on growth because of a supposedly wrong coding of Time After Logging (TAL) for unlogged plots. Although we have good biological reasons why we coded TAL like we did, we checked Ferry et al. 's suggestions for recoding and found no differences in variables that significantly explained tree and forest growth. We agree, however, that for future research, it is important to go beyond simple descriptors such as time after logging and basal area logged, to better describe the variation in logging impact found in areas under forest management. 3. Ferry et al. claim that we did not define basal area growth properly. We believe this is a semantic issue, as we clearly defined basal area growth as the net change in basal area. This net basal area change in Bolivian forests is indeed relatively high compared to other studies, which may be attributed to the higher soil fertility and biogeographic differences in species composition and their traits. 4. Synthesis. Many apparent discrepancies in the ecological literature arise because tropical forest ecologists tend to see the world from the perspective of their 'own' forest (despite clear biogeographic differences) and try to capture the same ecological processes using different variables and measurement protocols. To advance our understanding and go beyond single-case studies, we need to assemble large databases, quantify forest dynamics and disturbances in similar ways, be aware of differences among forests and analyse environmental dose-response curves. | [
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Earth System Science"
]
|
10.7554/elife.47528 | Composition and structure of synaptic ectosomes exporting antigen receptor linked to functional CD40 ligand from helper T cells | Planar supported lipid bilayers (PSLB) presenting T cell receptor (TCR) ligands and ICAM-1 induce budding of extracellular microvesicles enriched in functional TCR, defined here as synaptic ectosomes (SE), from helper T cells. SE bind peptide-MHC directly exporting TCR into the synaptic cleft, but incorporation of other effectors is unknown. Here, we utilized bead supported lipid bilayers (BSLB) to capture SE from single immunological synapses (IS), determined SE composition by immunofluorescence flow cytometry and enriched SE for proteomic analysis by particle sorting. We demonstrate selective enrichment of CD40L and ICOS in SE in response to addition of CD40 and ICOSL, respectively, to SLB presenting TCR ligands and ICAM-1. SE are enriched in tetraspanins, BST-2, TCR signaling and ESCRT proteins. Super-resolution microscopy demonstrated that CD40L is present in microclusters within CD81 defined SE that are spatially segregated from TCR/ICOS/BST-2. CD40L+ SE retain the capacity to induce dendritic cell maturation and cytokine production. | [
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
10.1039/C2CS35023H | Diversity Oriented Synthesis Producing Chemical Tools For Dissecting Biology | Small molecule modulators of biological function can be discovered by the screening of compound libraries. However, it became apparent that some human disease related targets could not be addressed by the libraries commonly used which typically are comprised of large numbers of structurally similar compounds. The last decade has seen a paradigm shift in library construction, with particular emphasis now being placed on increasing a library's structural, and thus functional diversity, rather than only its size. Diversity-oriented synthesis (DOS) aims to generate such structural diversity efficiently. This tutorial review has been written to introduce the subject to a broad audience and recent achievements in both the preparation and the screening of structurally diverse compound collections against so-called ‘undruggable’ targets are highlighted. | [
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
10.1080/02723638.2016.1139879 | Anticipatory Logics Of The Smart City S Global Imaginary | The smart city encompasses a broad range of technological innovations which might be applied to any city for a wide variety of reasons. In this article, I make a distinction between local efforts t . . . | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"The Social World and Its Interactions"
]
|
10.1089/ars.2012.4671 | The microglial α7-acetylcholine nicotinic receptor is a key element in promoting neuroprotection by inducing heme oxygenase-1 via nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 | Aims: We asked whether the neuroprotective effect of cholinergic microglial stimulation during an ischemic event acts via a mechanism involving the activation of nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and/or the expression of its target cytoprotective gene, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Specifically, the protective effect of the pharmacologic alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7 nAChR) agonist PNU282987 was analyzed in organotypic hippocampal cultures (OHCs) subjected to oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) in vitro as well as in photothrombotic stroke in vivo. Results: OHCs exposed to OGD followed by reoxygenation elicited cell death, measured by propidium iodide and 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5- diphenyltetrazolium bromide staining. Activation of α7 nAChR by PNU282987, after OGD, reduced cell death, reactive oxygen species production, and tumor necrosis factor release. This was associated with induction of HO-1 expression, an effect reversed by α-bungarotoxin and by tin-protoporphyrin IX. The protective effect of PNU282987 was lost in microglial-depleted OHCs as well as in OHCs from Nrf2-deficient-versus-wild-type mice, an effect associated with suppression of HO-1 expression in microglia. Administration of PNU282987 1 h after induction of photothrombotic stroke in vivo reduced the infarct size and improved motor skills in Hmox1lox/lox mice that express normal levels of HO-1, but not in LysMCreHmox1Δ/Δ in which HO-1 expression is inhibited in myeloid cells, including the microglia. Innovation: This study suggests the participation of the microglial α7 nAChR in the brain cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway. Conclusion: Activation of the α7 nAChR/Nrf2/HO-1 axis in microglia regulates neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, affording neuroprotection under brain ischemic conditions. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 19, 1135-1148. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy"
]
|
10.1091/mbc.E19-02-0082 | Reciprocal regulation of actomyosin organization and contractility in nonmuscle cells by tropomyosins and alpha-actinins | Contractile arrays of actin and myosin II filaments drive many essential processes in nonmuscle cells, including migration and adhesion. Sequential organization of actin and myosin along one dimension is followed by expansion into a two-dimensional network of parallel actomyosin fibers, in which myosin filaments are aligned to form stacks. The process of stack formation has been studied in detail. However, factors that oppose myosin stack formation have not yet been described. Here, we show that tropomyosins act as negative regulators of myosin stack formation. Knockdown of any or all tropomyosin isoforms in rat embryonic fibroblasts resulted in longer and more numerous myosin stacks and a highly ordered actomyosin organization. The molecular basis for this, we found, is the competition between tropomyosin and alpha-actinin for binding actin. Surprisingly, excessive order in the actomyosin network resulted in smaller focal adhesions, lower tension within the network, and smaller traction forces. Conversely, disordered actomyosin bundles induced by alpha-actinin knockdown led to higher than normal tension and traction forces. Thus, tropomyosin acts as a check on alpha-actinin to achieve intermediate levels of myosin stacks matching the force requirements of the cell. | [
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
10.1111/jmg.12213 | Effect of grain-scale pressure variations on garnet growth: a numerical approach | Grain-scale pressure variations have recently been investigated due to its significant effect on the observed microstructures and chemical redistribution in metamorphic rocks. In this study, the impact of grain-scale pressure variation on a growing garnet grain is investigated. We model prograde garnet growth at fluid-saturated conditions and sufficiently low temperature (<650 °C) to avoid modification of the inner part of the grain by diffusion. The method uses the Perple_X computer program package combined with Matlab® scripts allowing for a heterogeneous fluid pressure distribution around the growing grain. It is shown that the pressure variation around the grain may result in an asymmetric chemical zonation. Motivated by the result, we apply the model to selected published prograde paths to evaluate the magnitude of the pressure variation that is necessary for the development of the asymmetric zoning preserved in the samples. The magnitude of such a pressure gradient in the selected samples may correspond up to 1 kbar. Finally, it is demonstrated that the modelling of asymmetric chemical zoning in garnet under a pressure gradient may improve the precision of thermobarometric constraints. The numerical model evaluates the effect of the pressure gradient on a growing grain and thus can serve as a benchmark tool in future development of fully coupled models involving rock deformation and mineral reactions. | [
"Earth System Science",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
10.1007/978-3-319-15976-8_1 | Tackling Exascale Software Challenges In Molecular Dynamics Simulations With Gromacs | GROMACS is a widely used package for biomolecular simulation, and over the last two decades it has evolved from small-scale efficiency to advanced heterogeneous acceleration and multi-level parallelism targeting some of the largest supercomputers in the world. Here, we describe some of the ways we have been able to realize this through the use of parallelization on all levels, combined with a constant focus on absolute performance. Release 4. 6 of GROMACS uses SIMD acceleration on a wide range of architectures, GPU offloading acceleration, and both OpenMP and MPI parallelism within and between nodes, respectively. The recent work on acceleration made it necessary to revisit the fundamental algorithms of molecular simulation, including the concept of neighborsearching, and we discuss the present and future challenges we see for exascale simulation - in particular a very fine-grained task parallelism. We also discuss the software management, code peer review and continuous integration testing required for a project of this complexity. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
10.1104/pp.16.00213 | Molecular characterization of arabidopsis GAL4/UAS enhancer trap lines identifies novel cell-type-specific promoters | Cell-type-specific gene expression is essential to distinguish between the numerous cell types of multicellular organism. Therefore, cell-type-specific gene expression is tightly regulated and for most genes RNA transcription is the central point of control. Thus, transcriptional reporters are broadly used markers for cell identity. In Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), a recognized standard for cell identities is a collection of GAL4/UAS enhancer trap lines. Yet, while greatly used, very few of them have been molecularly characterized. Here, we have selected a set of 21 frequently used GAL4/UAS enhancer trap lines for detailed characterization of expression pattern and genomic insertion position. We studied their embryonic and postembryonic expression domains and grouped them into three groups (early embryo development, late embryo development, and embryonic root apical meristem lines) based on their dominant expression. We show that some of the analyzed lines are expressed in a domain often broader than the one that is reported. Additionally, we present an overview of the location of the T-DNA inserts of all lines, with one exception. Finally, we demonstrate how the obtained information can be used for generating novel cell-type-specific marker lines and for genotyping enhancer trap lines. The knowledge could therefore support the extensive use of these valuable lines. | [
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
10.1002/cphc.201402300 | A Multifrequency Virtual Spectrometer for Complex Bio-Organic Systems: Vibronic and Environmental Effects on the UV/Vis Spectrum of Chlorophyll a | The subtle interplay of several different effects means that the interpretation and analysis of experimental spectra in terms of structural and dynamic characteristics is a challenging task. In this context, theoretical studies can be helpful, and as such, computational spectroscopy is rapidly evolving from a highly specialized research field toward a versatile and widespread tool. However, in the case of electronic spectra (e. g. UV/Vis, circular dichroism, photoelectron, and X-ray spectra), the most commonly used methods still rely on the computation of vertical excitation energies, which are further convoluted to simulate line shapes. Such treatment completely neglects the influence of nuclear motions, despite the well-recognized notion that a proper account of vibronic effects is often mandatory to correctly interpret experimental findings. Development and validation of improved models rooted into density functional theory (DFT) and its time-dependent extension (TD-DFT) is of course instrumental for the optimal balance between reliability and favorable scaling with the number of electrons. However, the implementation of easy-to-use and effective procedures to simulate vibrationally resolved electronic spectra, and their availability to a wide community of users, is at least equally important for reliable simulations of spectral line shapes for compounds of biological and technological interest. Here, such an approach has been applied to the study of the UV/Vis spectra of chlorophyll a. The results show that properly tailored approaches are feasible for state-of-the-art computational spectroscopy studies, and allow, with affordable computational resources, vibrational and environmental effects on the spectral line shapes to be taken into account for large systems. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
10.1016/j.quaint.2018.03.043 | Magnetostratigraphic and chronostratigraphic constraints on the Marathousa 1 Lower Palaeolithic site and the Middle Pleistocene deposits of the Megalopolis basin, Greece | We investigated the magnetostratigraphy of the Megalopolis basin in central Peloponnese, Greece, which encompasses a record of Pleistocene lacustrine and lignite-bearing sedimentation, where lithic tools stratigraphically associated with remnants of an almost complete skeleton of Palaeoloxodon antiquus were recently found at the Marathousa 1 site. A magnetic polarity reversal was observed within a ∼10 m-thick lignite seam at the base of the (exposed) stratigraphic sequence, and it was interpreted as a record of the Brunhes/Matuyama boundary (0. 78 Ma). Assuming that lignite seams were deposited generally under warm and humid climate conditions, this finding is in agreement with data from the literature indicating that the Brunhes/Matuyama boundary occurs within warm Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 19. We then attempted to correlate the remainder of the lacustrine and lignite-bearing intervals above the Brunhes/Matuyama boundary to a standard oxygen isotope record of Pleistocene climate variability. Two age models of sedimentation were generated: according to preferred option #1, the artifact-bearing stratigraphic units of the Marathousa 1 site should have an age between ∼0. 48 Ma and ∼0. 42 Ma, while according to alternative option #2, the archaeological layers would have an age between ∼0. 56 Ma and ∼0. 54 Ma. Option #1 is at present considered the preferred option as it is in closer agreement with preliminary post-IR IRSL and ESR dates from the Marathousa 1 site. This age model has been exported to other areas of the Megalopolis basin, where additional archaeological and/or palaeontological sites could be present, by means of correlations to lithostratigraphic logs derived from commercial drill cores taken in the 1960s and 1970s for lignite exploitation. | [
"The Study of the Human Past",
"Earth System Science"
]
|
W2389805888 | The Applications Particulate Li DAR in the Stereo-Monitoring for the Complex Atmospheric Pollution | To analyze the three different mechanisms for the haze formation respectively caused by local pollutants,dust sunk,and the superposition with local pollution diffusion and exogenous pollution input,we applied particulate Li DAR to detect the spatial and temporal characteristics of suspended particulate matter in three different examples. In the haze episodes resulting mainly from the local pollutions,the particulate matter always spread from the ground level to about 1 km. The daily-averaged aerosol profile violated the exponential function,especially in severe pollution days. The extinction coefficient was nearly a constant of0. 3 km- 1below 800 m. A layer with a maximum of extinction coefficient in the aerosol profile was shown at about 800 m,which was over 1 km- 1. Such layer weakened the vertical dispersion of pollution contributing a primary factor for a wide visual range obstacle. For the haze pollution caused by dust mass input,Li DAR clearly outlined the dust profile varied in altitudes. The dust masses always suddenly occurred in 2- 3 km with a depolarization coefficient over 0. 3. It expanded in vertical direction due to the dust's gravitational settlement,which raising the concentration of coarse particulate matter( PM10) greatly larger than that of fine particle matter( PM2. 5). In the third example,Li DAR mapped an input pollution mass floating in 1. 8- 3 km which containing mainly of fine particles. This input pollution felled into the atmospheric boundary layer( ABL) at noon mixing with the pollution diffused to 1. 8 km from ground level,which eventually caused the local haze pollution. In conclusion,we found theLi DAR system could effectively describe the space-time distribution of particulate pollutants. It was advantage to explain three different mechanisms of haze-formation. As one kind of remote sensing techniques,Li DAR could be applied to study the atmospheric complex pollution. | [
"Earth System Science",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
EP 9402347 W | AN ETHANOL FUEL AND THE USE OF AN IGNITION IMPROVER | The ignition of an aqueous ethanol fuel is essentially improved by using a water soluble adduct of a polyol having 3-10 hydroxyl groups and ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide, the molecular weight of the adduct being 350-10,000. The fuel is in the form of a solution and contains 70-96 % by weight of ethanol, 2-10 % by weight of water and 0,5-20 % by weight of the ignition improving adduct. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Products and Processes Engineering"
]
|
10.1002/ece3.831 | Deflective and intimidating eyespots: A comparative study of eyespot size and position in Junonia butterflies | Eyespots are conspicuous circular features found on the wings of several lepidopteran insects. Two prominent hypotheses have been put forth explaining their function in an antipredatory role. The deflection hypothesis posits that eyespots enhance survival in direct physical encounters with predators by deflecting attacks away from vital parts of the body, whereas the intimidation hypothesis posits that eyespots are advantageous by scaring away a potential predator before an attack. In the light of these two hypotheses, we investigated the evolution of eyespot size and its interaction with position and number within a phylogenetic context in a group of butterflies belonging to the genus Junonia. We found that larger eyespots tend to be found individually, rather than in serial dispositions. Larger size and conspicuousness make intimidating eyespots more effective, and thus, we suggest that our results support an intimidation function in some species of Junonia with solitary eyespots. Our results also show that smaller eyespots in Junonia are located closer to the wing margin, thus supporting predictions of the deflection hypothesis. The interplay between size, position, and arrangement of eyespots in relation to antipredation and possibly sexual selection, promises to be an interesting field of research in the future. Similarly, further comparative work on the evolution of absolute eyespot size in natural populations of other butterfly groups is needed. Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. | [
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution"
]
|
W4284671959 | Colaboração brasileira com autores da Austrália, Canadá, Estados Unidos e Reino Unido e o desempenho das Universidades no Ranking ARWUGRAS | Objetivo: identificar as disciplinas e universidades brasileiras que se beneficiam da colaboração científica com Austrália, Canadá, Estados Unidos e Reino Unido, visualizado a partir do desempenho no Global Ranking of Academic Subjects (ARWUGRAS). Método: estudo exploratório que identificou os artigos brasileiros indexados no InCites entre 2010-2019, e recalculou pesos para artigos em colaboração com os quatro países de língua inglesa. Os dados do InCites foram cotejados com o desempenho das universidades brasileiras presentes nas 54 disciplinas do ARWUGRAS edição 2021. Resultados: o Brasil figura em 39 das 54 disciplinas do ARWUGRAS, com a presença de 49 diferentes universidades brasileiras. Ao se retirar a colaboração internacional com países de língua inglesa, observou-se alteração no posicionamento das universidades brasileiras na lista de classificação. Os testes estatísticos demonstram vantagem significativa para a colaboração com estes países, considerando todas as disciplinas juntas. Quando testadas de forma específica por grandes áreas, observou-se que não há ganho significativo para Engenharias e Ciências da Vida, mas há resultados significativos para a vantagem apresentada pelas Ciências Naturais e Ciências da Saúde. Conclusão: a análise do desempenho das universidades brasileiras no ARWUGRAS demonstrou que há vantagem no posicionamento destas quando existe colaboração com autores provenientes da Austrália, Canadá, Estados Unidos e Reino Unido. | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"The Social World and Its Interactions"
]
|
10.1002/2016JG003615 | Erosion Of Organic Carbon From The Andes And Its Effects On Ecosystem Carbon Dioxide Balance | Productive forests of the Andes are subject to high erosion rates that supply to the Amazon River sediment and carbon from both recently photosynthesized biomass and geological sources. Despite this recognition, the source and discharge of particulate organic carbon (POC) in Andean rivers remains poorly constrained. We collected suspended sediments from the Kosnipata River, Peru, over one year at two river gauging stations. Carbon isotopes (14C, 13C, 12C) and nitrogen to organic carbon ratios of the suspended sediments suggest a mixture of POC from sedimentary rocks (POCpetro) and from the terrestrial biosphere (POCbiosphere). The majority of the POCbiosphere has a composition similar to surface soil horizons and we estimate is mostly younger than 850 14C years. The suspended sediment yield in 2010 was 3500 ± 210 t km-2 yr-1, >10 times the yield from the Amazon Basin. The POCbiosphere yield was 12. 6 ± 0. 4 tC km-2 yr-1 and the POCpetro yield was 16. 1 ± 1. 4 tC km-2 yr-1, mostly discharged in the wet season (December to March) during flood events. The river POCbiosphere discharge is large enough to play a role in determining whether Andean forests are a source or sink of carbon dioxide. The estimated erosional discharge of POCpetro from the Andes is much larger (~1 Mt C yr-1) than the POCpetro discharge by the Madeira River downstream in the Amazon Basin, suggesting oxidation of POCpetro counters CO2 drawdown by silicate weathering. The flux and fate of Andean POCbiosphere and POCpetro needs to be better constrained to fully understand the carbon budget of the Amazon River Basin. | [
"Earth System Science",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
10.1109/CDC.2014.7039771 | Towards Time Optimal Race Car Driving Using Nonlinear Mpc In Real Time | This paper addresses the real-time control of autonomous vehicles under a minimum traveling time objective. Control inputs for the vehicle are computed from a nonlinear model predictive control (MPC) scheme. The time-optimal objective is reformulated such that it can be tackled by existing efficient algorithms for real-time nonlinear MPC that build on the generalized Gauss-Newton method. We numerically validate our approach in simulations and present a real-world hardware setup of miniature race cars that is used for an experimental comparison of different approaches. | [
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
W2091480326 | Driving photochemistry by clustering: The ICl-Xe case | We present slice imaging data demonstrating the influence of clustering on the photodissociation dynamics of a diatomic molecule: iodine monochloride (ICl) was dissociated at 235 nm in He and Xe seed gasses, probing both Cl and I photofragment energy and angular distributions. We observe that the kinetic energy releases of both Cl and I fragments change from He to Xe seeding. For Cl fragments, the seeding in Xe increases the kinetic energy release of some Cl fragments with a narrow kinetic energy distribution, and leads to some fragments with rather broad statistical distribution falling off exponentially from near-zero energies up to about 2.5 eV. Iodine fragment distribution changes even more dramatically from He to Xe seeding: sharp features essentially disappear and a broad distribution arises reaching to about 2.5 eV. Both these observations are rationalized by a simple qualitative cluster model assuming ICl dissociation inside larger xenon clusters and "on surface" of smaller Xe species. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter"
]
|
10.1093/jfr/fjx005 | Culprits or Bystanders? Offshore Jurisdictions and the Global Financial Crisis | ABSTRACT
Questions have been raised regarding the role of low-tax offshore jurisdictions in the global financial crisis, based largely on evidence that many problematic asset-backed securities were issued from or listed in the Cayman Islands, Jersey, Ireland, and other ‘offshore’ sites. However, there has not been a systematic investigation of the offshore geography of crisis-implicated securitization. Here we fill this gap by constructing the first comprehensive jurisdictional map of the largest pre-crisis Asset-Backed Commercial Paper (ABCP) programmes, and examining the rationale for and impacts of this geography in detail. We show that offshore jurisdictions were disproportionately involved in producing the most unstable ABCP classes. However, this is difficult to explain in terms of the traditional role of offshore banking centres as sites for direct avoidance of onshore regulation and transparency. Rather, we propose a Minskian model of pre-crisis offshore ABCP production, wherein these jurisdictions specialized in alleviating incidental institutional frictions (eg double taxation) hindering onshore financial innovation. In this context, they could sometimes be legitimately described as improving the institutional ‘efficiency’ of financial markets; however, by facilitating the endogenous evolutionary instability of these markets, this apparently innocuous service had profoundly negative effects. This normative disconnect poses a conundrum for offshore reform. | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems"
]
|
10.1257/aer.20150774 | This Mine is Mine! How Minerals Fuel Conflicts in Africa | We combine georeferenced data on mining extraction of 14 minerals with information on conflict events at spatial resolution of 0. 5 o × 0. 5 o for all of Africa between 1997 and 2010. Exploiting exogenous variations in world prices, we find a positive impact of mining on conflict at the local level. Quantitatively, our estimates suggest that the historical rise in mineral prices (commodity super-cycle) might explain up to one-fourth of the average level of violence across African countries over the period. We then document how a fighting group's control of a mining area contributes to escalation from local to global violence. Finally, we analyze the impact of corporate practices and transparency initiatives in the mining industry. (JEL C23, D74, L70, O13, Q34) | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems",
"The Social World and Its Interactions"
]
|
10.1007/978-3-319-00885-1_6 | Multi Level Monte Carlo Finite Volume Methods For Uncertainty Quantification In Nonlinear Systems Of Balance Laws | A mathematical formulation of conservation and of balance laws with random input data, specifically with random initial conditions, random source terms and random flux functions, is reviewed. The concept of random entropy solution is specified. For scalar conservation laws in multi-dimensions, recent results on the existence and on the uniqueness of random entropy solutions with finite variances are presented. The combination of Monte Carlo sampling with Finite Volume Method discretization in space and time for the numerical approximation of the statistics of random entropy solutions is proposed. The finite variance of random entropy solutions is used to prove asymptotic error estimates for combined Monte Carlo Finite Volume Method discretizations of scalar conservation laws with random inputs. A Multi-Level extension of combined Monte Carlo Finite Volume Method (MC-FVM) discretizations is proposed and asymptotic error bounds are presented in the case of scalar, nonlinear hyperbolic conservation laws. Sparse tensor constructions for the computation of compressed approximations of two- and k-point space-time correlation functions of random entropy solutions are introduced. Asymptotic error versus work estimates indicate superiority of Multi-Level versions of MC-FVM over the plain MC-FVM, under comparable assumptions on the random input data. In particular, it is shown that these compressed sparse tensor approximations converge essentially at the same rate as the MLMC-FVM estimators for the mean solutions. Extensions of the proposed algorithms to nonlinear, hyperbolic systems of balance laws are outlined. Multiresolution discretizations of random source terms which are exactly bias-free are indicated. Implementational aspects of these Multi-Level Monte Carlo Finite Volume methods, in particular results on large scale random number generation, scalability and resilience on emerging massively parallel computing platforms, are discussed. | [
"Mathematics",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
W2769158280 | Fishing fleet capacity and profitability | Abstract The individual transferable quotas (ITQ) system is a popular fisheries management system applied in many countries. Here, vessels are scrapped or sold out of the fishery, and their quotas are transferred to the remaining vessels, resulting in lower number of active vessels. This consequently reduces the overcapacity of fishing fleets and likely improves financial performance. Unlike previous studies, this paper quantifies the impact of capacity adjustment on vessel profitability through an econometric model. Supply and demand shifters are included in the model to isolate the influence of capacity adjustment. The case studies are the total Norwegian fishing fleet and an important vessel group – the ocean-going cod trawlers. Empirical findings generally indicate a positive impact of capacity adjustment on vessel financial performance. The observed recent decline in financial profitability of the fishing fleet may therefore be attributed to other factors rather than overcapacity. | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution"
]
|
223624 | Demonstration of the next generation wave energy device – powermodule | Wello has developed and patented a concept which is able to convert the movement of waves into electric energy without
any hydraulic joints and gears. The idea of Wello’s Power Module innovation is to combine vessel stabilization, damping and
power production into one electro-mechanical device. This is achieved by installing Power Modules to the ship and other
floating vessels. Power Modules are optimized either for providing energy to the process or for stabilizing the vessel
movement. The difference between working principle is done by configuring user software and in some cases by
dimensions. In Wello’s Power Module, the power take-off unit (PTO), consists of an eccentric spinning mass that rotates
around the vertical generator axis. The innovation has been developed in small and full scale in EMEC (European Marine
Energy Centre) at Orkney Islands during last several years.
The clients of this innovation are cruise liner and other ship owners and operators, offshore oil&gas field operators as well as
emerging small scale offshore power users like fish farms, desalination process stations, algae cultivation and remote island
systems. The market size is several billion Euros. Stabilization for vessels is needed for health and safety reasons.
Renewable energy replacing CO2 emissions and other pollution at vessels.
Objective of this project is to demonstrate the concept in full scale and in operational environment, and to create full
production capability. Outcome of this project is 300kW ocean energy generator. It can be installed into different vessel types
and it produces stable electricity always when there are waves.
Wello will make ocean energy feasible by offering a cost effective solution that is able to provide renewable energy at
competitive cost. It offers stabilization and damping for vessels which other competing renewable energy sources cannot
deliver. The innovation will deliver significant growth, jobs and investments for Europe. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
10.1002/macp.201600502 | Energy Level Tuning of Poly(phenylene-alt-dithienobenzothiadiazole)s for Low Photon Energy Loss Solar Cells | Six poly(phenylene-alt-dithienobenzothiadiazole)-based polymers have been synthesized for application in polymer–fullerene solar cells. Hydrogen, fluorine, or nitrile substitution on benzothiadiazole and alkoxy or ester substitution on the phenylene moiety are investigated to reduce the energy loss per converted photon. Power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) up to 6. 6% have been obtained. The best performance is found for the polymer–fullerene combination with distinct phase separation and crystalline domains. This improves the maximum external quantum efficiency for charge formation and collection to 66%. The resulting higher photocurrent compensates for the relatively large energy loss per photon (E loss = 0. 97 eV) in achieving a high PCE. By contrast, the polymer that provides a reduced energy loss (E loss = 0. 49 eV) gives a lower photocurrent and a reduced PCE of 1. 8% because the external quantum efficiency of 17% is limited by a suboptimal morphology and a reduced driving force for charge transfer. (Figure presented. ). | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
W2037385914 | Precious metal enrichment in the Platreef, Bushveld Complex, South Africa: evidence from homogenized magmatic sulfide melt inclusions | Magmatic sulfide deposits are the most significant source of platinum-group elements (PGE) in the world. Key to understanding their genesis is determining the processes and timing of sulfide saturation, metal enrichment and crustal contamination. In this study, we have identified droplets of magmatic sulfide from the Platreef, South Africa, where droplets of sulfide have been trapped in the earliest crystallising phase, chromite. Due to their early entrapment at high temperatures, metal concentrations and ratios that they display are indicative of a very early-stage sulfide liquid in the system, as they will have cooled and fractionated within an essentially closed system, unlike interstitial blebs that crystallise in an open system as the magma cools. Analysis of these droplets in an opaque mineral like chromite by LA-ICP-MS is problematic as some of the fractionated inclusion is necessarily lost during cutting and polishing to initially identify the inclusion. This particularly affects the ability to representatively sample the most fractionated phases such as gold and platinum minerals. Here, using a novel technique whereby the inclusions are homogenized and quickly quenched, so that any cutting, polishing and subsequent LA-ICP-MS analysis samples a truly representative portion of the droplet. This has been used to show that early sulfide liquids in the Platreef were highly PGE-rich and had Pt/Pd ratios of close to unity that supports genetic models invoking sulfide saturation and metal enrichment prior to intrusion, with pre-enriched sulfides entrained within the Platreef magma. | [
"Earth System Science",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
10.1128/AEM.01066-14 | Ether- and ester-bound iso-diabolic acid and other lipids in members of Acidobacteria subdivision 4 | Recently, iso-diabolic acid (13,16-dimethyl octacosanedioic acid) has been identified as a major membrane-spanning lipid of subdivisions 1 and 3 of the Acidobacteria, a highly diverse phylum within the Bacteria. This finding pointed to the Acidobacteria as a potential source for the bacterial glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers that occur ubiquitously in peat, soil, lakes, and hot springs. Here, we examined the lipid composition of seven phylogenetically divergent strains of subdivision 4 of the Acidobacteria, a bacterial group that is commonly encountered in soil. Acid hydrolysis of total cell material released iso-diabolic acid derivatives in substantial quantities (11 to 48% of all fatty acids). In contrast to subdivisions 1 and 3 of the Acidobacteria, 6 out of the 7 species of subdivision 4 (excepting "Candidatus Chloracidobacterium thermophilum") contained iso-diabolic acid ether bound to a glycerol in larger fractional abundance than iso-diabolic acid itself. This is in agreement with the analysis of intact polar lipids (IPLs) by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS), which showed the dominance of mixed ether-ester glycerides. iso-Diabolic acid-containing IPLs were not identified, because these IPLs are not released with a Bligh-Dyer extraction, as observed before when studying lipid compositions of subdivisions 1 and 3 of the Acidobacteria. The presence of ether bonds in the membrane lipids does not seem to be an adaptation to temperature, because the five mesophilic isolates contained a larger amount of ether lipids than the thermophile "Ca. Chloracidobacterium thermophilum. " Furthermore, experiments with Pyrinomonas methylaliphatogenes did not reveal a major influence of growth temperature over the 50 to 69°C range. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Earth System Science"
]
|
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